The Met App V.1.0 & V.1.1

The Metropolitan Museum of Art recently launched the Met App V.1.0.  This new app offers audio tours, encyclopedic background on current exhibits, and keeps users up to date on the museum's exhibits and programs.  It was featured as one of the best new apps in the AppStore. In a Forbes article titled "The Met's New App is Modest, But Could Foreshadow Big Things,"  Seth Porges writes about what the app has to offer.  He mentioned how the app has it's kinks, but the Met as started this app off right by providing users with excellent information about what the museum has to offer.  They are going beyond a pretty interface and keep Met fans informed in a smart, simple way. The New York Times had great things to say as well, stating the app has a "lovely, clean design that begs to be explored." 

The Met App will be upgraded in November, 2014 to V.1.1. Statements on the Met's blog claim they are proud of the first version, but are excited to build and improve the app. One improvement will be a question and answer function that allows app users to ask questions to the museum and receive a response within 30 seconds.  The museum also wants the app to have similar technological infrastructure as their website, metmuseum.org.

The museum has been tracking public response to the app. The biggest complaint of the first app version is that there is no map of the museum provided.  The museum plans on improving the map on metmuseum.org, but from what I read on their blog, has no plans to include a map on their app.  One issue I have with the app is that it is only currently available for iPhones.  I hope that the app will soon be available for Android so I can check it out!