Bring Your Own Device in Museums: Access and Practical Trade-offs

During museum closures and reopenings in 2020–2021, visitor-owned devices became an important route to digital experiences. But what does Bring Your Own Device, or BYOD, mean for a museum planning an experience in the gallery?

As museums and galleries reopened in the summer of 2020, some developed on-site augmented reality (AR) experiences that layered digital content onto a visit. Others created virtual tours and interactive applications for audiences at home. These approaches have different technical and practical requirements.

Different experiences need different devices

Museum XR experiences predate the pandemic. The Louvre’s Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass, for example, opened in 2019. Yet a browser-based virtual tour, mobile AR and immersive headset VR are not interchangeable. A tour may be navigated on a phone screen; AR adds digital material to a view of the surroundings; an immersive VR experience may require a compatible headset and controllers.

Visitor BYOD means designing an experience that people can access using their own supported devices. It is distinct from employee BYOD, which raises workplace device-management and security questions. Visitors may be familiar with their phones, but that does not make every interface accessible or remove the museum’s costs.

Whether an experience works well depends on its design, supported hardware, software and delivery. A blanket prediction about what smartphones can or cannot do is less useful than testing the specific task.

The growth in visitor experiences using visitors’ devices

During the 2020–2021 closures, museums developed virtual experiences that audiences could use at home. The examples below describe projects reported at that time, rather than a list of currently available services.

One such example comes from the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, whose ‘Crossing Lines’ virtual tour allowed visitors to navigate through a 3D virtual space with highlighted recommended works and a comprehensive audio guide. Other digital experiences reported during lockdown involved contributions from users, such as the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb. This not only allowed users to explore virtual galleries, but also encouraged them to donate their own lockdown mementos and share their experiences.

On a wider scale, the Chile 360° gave users the opportunity to explore sites across Chile, including the Easter Island statues, the European Southern Observatory, and the Atacama Desert. The app was developed specifically for use on iOS and Android devices.

These projects illustrate different ways to reach an audience through personal devices. Using them as models for an on-site experience still requires a clear visitor need and practical testing.

What visitors need to bring

A virtual tour designed for home use does not automatically translate into an on-site BYOD experience. Explain which devices and software are supported, whether visitors need headphones, and any download, account or permission requirements before they begin. A simple browser-based route may suit some tasks; designing QR-linked interpretation also means making the destination and access requirements clear.

Tate Modern’s 2017–2018 Modigliani retrospective included a VR reconstruction of the artist’s Paris studio. Such a reconstruction represents research and interpretive choices, rather than a guarantee of a complete replica of the past. Its design and hardware requirements should not be treated as a benchmark for every phone-based experience.

Connectivity and support

Using a visitor’s own device changes the operating model, but it does not remove the museum’s responsibilities. The content still needs to work on supported devices, be understandable in the gallery and have someone responsible for updates and help.

Test the complete task on the devices visitors actually bring. Check load time, screen size, permissions, audio, battery demand and what happens when the connection drops. Explain any download or account requirement before the visitor starts.

Accessible alternatives

Visitors may lack a compatible device, a data allowance, enough battery, confidence with the technology or a suitable way to use the interface. Offer another route to essential interpretation, such as a loan device, staff assistance or a non-device option. A person without a suitable phone should still be able to take part. Include testing accessible digital content in the plan.

Plan maintenance and costs

Compare the staff time, connectivity and support required by BYOD with the costs of loan devices or a simpler web-based resource. Plan for charging and headphones where needed, hygiene where hardware is shared, and someone to maintain the content and check that it continues to work.