An App That Will Forever Change How You Enjoy Museums

SF MoMA reopened after 3 years of closure for a major expansion, becoming one of the most thoughtfully designed gallery spaces in the world and America's largest repository of Modern Art.

The redesign nearly tripled the museum's prior gallery space, significantly increasing the amount of artwork to explore.

While the expanded collection is exciting, the increased size can be overwhelming for visitors navigating the museum.

SF MoMA partnered with Apple and a company called Detour to develop an innovative app that reimagines the traditional audio tour experience.

Users select a tour, press play, and slip their phone in their pocket to begin the experience without needing to look at the screen.

The app provides step-by-step directional guidance, telling users where to go as they walk through galleries naturally.

• Features voices from podcasters, comedians, sports casters, and artists • Notable narrators include Avery Truffleman from 99% Invisible and French tightrope walker Philippe Petit • Commentary covers artworks including pieces by Picasso and Matisse

The app uses the museum's Wi-Fi network to track user location and guide visitors continuously from piece to piece and gallery to gallery.

Traditional audio tours required punching numbers into keypads, while the SF MoMA app provides uninterrupted immersive tours that flow seamlessly.

The app feels magical and requires minimal screen interaction, allowing visitors to experience the museum naturally while receiving guidance.

• App detects when users stray from the recommended path • Provides elevator music when off-track instead of stopping narration • Can suggest how to resume the tour if users wander too far

The continuous audio experience without needing to check screens creates a more engaging and natural museum exploration.

• App struggles if visitors wander too far from the intended path • Difficulty guiding users back on track when significantly off-route • Requires reliability improvements for seamless indoor positioning

The beauty of museum experiences often comes from wandering freely, getting lost, and discovering artworks spontaneously rather than following a predetermined route.

An ideal audio tour would adapt to visitor spontaneity and exploration rather than prescribing a fixed path.

Despite limitations, the SF MoMA app represents a significant advancement toward reimagining how people experience museums, with the museum actively working toward further improvements.