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Minneapolis Institute of Art launches AR puzzle app

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riddle mia this app

Visitors to the Minneapolis Institute of Art will be able to transform the museum into a giant puzzle room thanks to a new Augmented Reality (AR) app called “Riddle Mia This”.

The free mobile application is now available to museum visitors. It features 12 puzzles that encourage visitors to explore and interact with works of art and the museum’s space. Players must find clues across a dozen galleries and on two museum floors.

The app was also the winner of this year’s 3M Art and Technology Award. “Riddle Mia This” was selected as the winner by an expert panel of technology industry leaders.

“Riddle Mia This” was created by technology architect Colin McFadden and digital preservation specialist Samantha Thi Porter of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. It is the result of collaboration with Mia staff, 3M, and GLITCH, a community driven arts and education center for emerging game makers.

https://vimeo.com/289566734

Porter said: “This project was a true adventure that involved just as much time exploring the museum’s galleries as sitting at a computer. We’re extremely thankful for this unique opportunity to combine our interests in games, technology, and the arts and are excited to have finally brought it to life and share it with the world. We hope the public has as much fun playing ‘Riddle Mia This’ as we did making it.”

Douglas Hegley, chief digital officer at Mia, said: “‘Riddle Mia This’ offers a completely new and incredibly fun way to experience the museum. It introduces visitors to artwork and galleries they may not have viewed before, encourages them to more closely examine objects as they attempt to solve puzzles, and highlights technology’s ability to enrich and deepen our relationship with art.”

Last month, Akron Art Museum launched Dot: a digital tour guide available as a chatbot to visitors. It aims to bring artwork to life with provoking questions to spark conversation.

Image courtesy of MIA

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Michael Mander

Michael Mander

I am a journalist from Essex, England. I enjoy travelling, and love exploring attractions around the world. I graduated from Lancaster University in 2018. Twitter @michael_mander.

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