The Van Gogh Museum recently announced its debut on WeChat Channels and the WeChat mini program as part of the overseas expansion of China’s most popular social app.
Developed by Tencent, Weixin is a version of the WeChat social app for users based in China, while WeChat is designed for overseas users.
The Van Gogh Museum previously launched its official Weixin account and is expanding its presence on Weixin with the mini program.
“The Van Gogh Museum inspires people all over the world with the work and life of Vincent van Gogh,” said Martijn Pronk, head of digital at the Van Gogh Museum.
Weixin allows museums to connect with China
“With our presence on Weixin we are able to connect with people in China on their favorite platform. Join us and discover Vincent’s famous art and amazing life story.”
The mini program allows users to explore the world of Vincent van Gogh, with biographical and historical information, as well as audio guides, chat functions and museum maps.
In addition, the museum’s mini program includes a gamification tool called AI Van Gogh, and co-branded museum merchandise via an e-commerce gift shop.
The Van Gogh Museum has also launched on video and livestreaming platform Weixin Channels in order to share interactive videos and livestream events.
AI Van Gogh available on China’s social app
The institution became the first overseas cultural institution to livestream a virtual tour on Weixin Channels, leading the way for other museums that want to engage with a Chinese audience.
Daily active users on Weixin mini programs exceeded 400 million in 2020. Weixin is working with more than 20 global museums to launch on Weixin Channels. WeChat and its domestic version Weixin connect more than 1.25 billion monthly active users globally.
The British Museum is also growing its brand in China, and has developed a strong social media presence on WeChat and Weibo. It recently joined forces with Hello Kitty.
Images: Van Gogh Museum/Weixin
