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Cornwall Museums Partnership

Weekly Tech Review – Week 3 Kneehigh – Walk With Me app

Kneehigh – Walk With Me app

Overview:

Walk With Me is a free app which offers audio stories and interesting facts around three areas, hence there are three different walks to choose: Mevagissey, Newquay and Perranporth. We randomly picked and tested Mevagissey.

You can listen to the stories ‘rambling’ in the location in GPS mode, or you could choose to experience the stories in the armchair mode.

The walks are of various lengths and, before you set (or start) off, you can listen to a safety warning. Some examples of stories or pieces of information include:

  1. Did you know (with an image of a girl) – story from a girl inspired by Mevagissey museum exhibit
  2. Found – donation of the museum
  3. Doll’s House – inspired by the doll’s house in the museum (includes artwork by Lottie – who wrote the section)
  4. Reminiscences

The stories are based on images, objects and recollections from Mevagissey museum.

Equipment needed:

  • Smartphone
  • Walk With Me app (free, available for Android and iOS)
  • Headphones

Instructions:

  1. Connect with wifi, if you’re using the armchair mode, or turn on your mobile data, if you’re using the GPS mode
  2. Once you’ve downloaded the app, connect your headphones and open the app
  3. On the bottom left-hand side of the screen, there is a ‘HOW TO’ option which gives you, in text and audio, instructions on how to use the app

Pros:

  • You can share your experience with the app – but only links to the app rather than the individual story
  • There is a good mix of information
  • There is a good mix of Illustrations and original photographs
  • The locations’ colours change as you cover more points so you know where you’ve been
  • There are clear instructions on how to use it, with an audio section
  • Worked fine on iOS and android.

Cons:

  • Doesn’t zoom in and out of the map
  • No clear starting point, but then there is no overall narrative, so it doesn’t really matter
  • You need to download the app and the walk – this can exhaust your mobile data or take a long time to download, so try to download both beforehand using a wifi connection

General Feedback:

It was overall an enjoyable experience. The experience would have been better if we had actually done the physical GPS walk. However we found it very convenient that an armchair version is available as this makes it more accessible.

How does it relate to Cornish museums/can be used?

  • The stories and facts are mainly based on the museum, so a similar idea could be developed for any Cornish museum and its surrounding area.
  • It was a great collaborative effort between Kneehigh Theatre and the museum
  • There was strong community involvement to develop the app, especially by young people
  • Good use of GPS technology
  • A very good proof of concept for a location-based app utilising museum/heritage collections.

Score:

  • Price – free, but could incur data costs 4/5
  • Ease of use- 4/5
  • Education – 4/5
  • Fun – 4/5

Total: 17/20

Jenny Lee and Yiota Liopetriti

 

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