25 years ago, NASA’s Voyager spacecraft launched into interstellar space with a golden phonograph record. Its purpose - to communicate the existence of human life with extraterrestrial life.
This record included pictures, music, and sounds from the Earth. But most importantly, greetings in 55 languages.
“Hello from the children of planet Earth,” it said in English.
As of 2024, there are 7,139 languages spoken across 195 countries across the world.
Of this massive number, 40% of languages are spoken by only 1000 speakers - holding on to their roots.
Language is important, it is special. It allows us to communicate with one another, build relationships, and create a sense of community.
If you are wondering why multilingual museums are important, here’s your answer.
Imagine you are a world-renowned museum. Your audiences are limited to local or even, national boundaries. People from different parts of the world fly down to visit your galleries.
However, they face a barrier - language.
The way to your diverse audience’s minds is through the unity of languages.
Look at the famous Met Museum in New York. To efficiently connect with their audiences, they feature audio guides in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and Spanish.
With this knowledge in mind, let’s take a look at how we can turn your museum into a multilingual knowledge center through digital transformation.
The Need For Multilingual Museums
How can US museums become more inclusive and accessible to a multilingual audience? The simple answer is to transform them into Multilingual Museums.
But who is this multilingual audience? Let's find out.
The demographic landscape of the U.S. has shifted dramatically, with a significant increase in the percentage of individuals speaking a foreign language at home - from 11% in 1980 to 21% today. This percentage in major urban centers like Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles skyrockets, highlighting a pressing need for cultural institutions to adapt.
The transition towards becoming a Multilingual Museum is about fostering a sense of belonging among communities.
Linguistic accessibility, or "language equity," is a multifaceted concept aimed at:
Welcoming Non-English Speakers: By offering translated materials and exhibits, a Multilingual Museum opens its doors wider, inviting people to explore and engage with its collections in their native language.
Empowering Museum Staff: Encouraging staff to engage with visitors in multiple languages enhances the overall visitor experience and builds a stronger community around the museum.
Preserving Cultural Windows: Recognizing every language as a gateway to understanding a culture and, therefore, an asset worth preserving and showcasing within the museum's context.
How Technology Helps Multilingual Museums
Using Data To Understand Language Diversity
“I, as a bilingual individual, can function in an English-speaking cultural institution at a very high level, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy going with my mom, who might not function at that level in English, where she can read the text in her own language and feel like it’s not being dumbed down," highlighted Cris Scorza, the Whitney Museum of American Art's Helena Rubinstein Chair of Education.
Spanish is the second most spoken language in New York.
When you are setting up your multilingual museum, you might ask yourself: What languages do our visitors speak at home?
By employing surveys and leveraging data analytics, museums can acquire a comprehensive understanding of their visitors' backgrounds. This data serves as the foundation upon which a culture of engagement is built.
For example, the Queens Museum's 'New New Yorkers' program offers free multilingual courses in various media and directly engages with its multilingual community.
Moreover, using social media platforms like Twitter for #EduTues discussions extends the museum's reach, connecting with a wider audience and inviting them into a multilingual dialogue.
The Power Of Audio Guides In Multilingual Museums
Almost everybody has a smartphone.
That is not an exaggeration - There are a total of 7.21 billion active smartphones worldwide.
But, how is it related to museums?
Well, the traditional museum experience, characterized by silent contemplation of static exhibits, is evolving.
Museums are now moving to audio guides. Particularly those enabled by advanced technologies such as chatbots.
Audio guides, especially those powered by artificial intelligence, allow visitors to engage in dialogues with historical figures or celebrated artists, stepping into stories, influencing narratives, and creating memorable experiences.
Take a look at the work we did with the Tibet Museum.
Established to document and educate about Tibet's history and culture, the museum has embraced digital transformation to extend its reach and impact. Through its mobile app, the museum offers audio-visual tours in multiple languages.
Here's the difference we made:
The app boasts 1,735 registered users, with 1,237 active users engaging with the content, resulting in 4,526 points of interest visited and 475 QR scans.
These numbers highlight the app's effectiveness in bridging physical and digital realms, with 32% of users accessing the app via the web, 18% through Android devices, and 50% using iOS.
Unlocking Global Accessibility With QR Codes
"A 45 minute introduction for (international) tourists to the story of Amsterdam" - Amsterdam Museum's Amsterdam DNA allows visitors to take a dive into Amsterdam's rich history.
However, international tourists are not familiar with Amsterdam's Dutch. So, how do they convey their story? Here's what they came up with.
By leveraging QR codes, the museum overcomes traditional barriers to BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) adoption, providing visitors with access to interpretive information in multiple languages through their own smartphones.
This strategy allows visitors access to content in their own language, including both Dutch and English.
The integration of QR codes is an excellent strategy for multilingual museums.
And they can serve a number of roles!
The Artbeat of New India at Mumbai Airport’s Terminal 2 serves as a compelling case study.
This curation celebrates India’s diverse artistic heritage, engaging visitors with a fusion of traditional and contemporary art. By utilizing QR codes, we helped the establishment facilitate visitor access to multimedia content, including audio guides and videos, in their preferred language directly on their smartphones.
The impact?
Registered Users: The Artbeat of New India has attracted 4,750 registered users, indicating a high level of engagement and interest.
Active Users: A remarkable count of 4,404 active users showcases the effectiveness of QR codes in maintaining visitor engagement.
Total Points Visited: Visitors have explored 3,223 points of interest, emphasizing the expansive reach of the exhibits.
QR Scans: With 2,652 QR scans, the data highlights the popularity and user-friendliness of QR code-based interactions.
Mode of Usage: The diverse usage modes, with 56% web users, 29% Android, and 14% iOS, reflect the broad accessibility of the museum's content across different platforms.
Why Digital Transformation Is Your Best Bet?
The Getty Museum's multilingual journey started with enhancing bilingual text in exhibitions, followed by training staff in language proficiency.
While this is inspiring, it's a time-consuming process.
So, what's the faster alternative that can take the course while you prepare your offline staff?
Digital Transformation - particularly through the implementation of multilingual audio guides.
These audio guides can offer immersive and personalized experiences to visitors in their native language by leveraging Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology.
Moreover, they are cost-effective. Research indicates that translation services for audio guides cost between 0.19 and 0.23 cents per word.
However, there's an even simpler solution for you.
Museums22: Your Partner In Museum Transformation
Traditionally, museums embarking on digital transformation faced daunting hurdles.
Developing a comprehensive digital presence involves a mobile app that encompasses social media integration. Additionally, it should include a digital catalog of exhibits, enhanced visitor experience features, and interactive audio guides.
The costs associated with assembling a dedicated team of consultants, developers, designers, and content creators often placed these transformative initiatives beyond the reach of many institutions.
But, we created a comprehensive solution.
With Museums22, museums gain access to a robust mobile app platform that democratizes the process of going digital in a cost-effective manner. For a single monthly SaaS subscription starting at $149, museums unlock:
Progressive Web App (PWA)
Multiple Languages Supported
Self-Generated QR Codes for Each Point
Analytics Dashboard and CMS for Content Management
Cloud Space Included
Ready to become a leading multilingual museum in the digital age?
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