The National Museum goes hi-tech with MyMuseum

MANILA, Philippines - De La Salle University students in cooperation with the Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) have developed specialized high-tech software to enable visitors to experience the National Museum’s National Art Gallery in a different light.

MyMuseum, a mobile museum guide developed by Computer Science students from De La Salle, is a software application that recommends museum items to view via HTC Viva Mobile Handsets. Not your run-of-the mill audio guide, the mobile guide brings something more to the table for museum visitors by providing interactive android capabilities similar to most cell phones used today. With features such as a “Search Art” button, where guests can type in their favorite artist or piece, it paves the way for a more interactive learning environment. 

For visitors who would like to see certain art pieces, such as Juan Luna’s Spoliarium or Una Bulaqueña, there is an interactive map that highlights where each item is located and also provides the narrative audio tour found in all museum audio guides.

Currently, the program is specifically tailored for the National Art Gallery although future products are envisioned for the remaining 20 branches, including the Museum of the Filipino People and the National Planetarium.

Dr. Merlin Teodosia Suarez, project leader of “Towards Developing Mobile Museum Guide’s, notes, “The project took a year to finish and a few refinements took about three to six months. We are grateful to the National Museum and for providing us the support.”

The project was a collaborative effort with the National Museum’s Museum Education Division which carries out educational public programs, and the Arts Division which is dedicated to promoting Philippine visual arts.