Nintendo Co., Ltd will be providing the Louvre with Nintendo 3DS systems that will house an exclusive audio guide.
Utilizing the unique features of the Nintendo 3DS system including 3D images and animation, the guide includes an interactive map that allows visitors to see exactly where they are in the museum. It also offers over 700 commentaries on the works of art, providing a fresh perspective on the Louvre’s collections and the story behind the building itself. Nintendo’s chief games designer Shigeru Miyamoto told the Times that he himself had become disoriented when he first visited the Louvre. “I was here for a few hours and by the end I had no idea where I was,” he said. “Even though I was developing the software [in Japan] I feel now that I know my way around the museum.” The device includes a sensor that detects which room the visitor is in, and shows exhibits on a map. Visitors can tap the screen to hear an overview of the work or hear about it in detail. The audio guide will also include a “panic button” that will guide visitors back to the entrance if they become lost among the antiquities. One useful tactic to encourage the crowd to spread out in the museum and not bee line for the Mona Lisa is the invention of “ready made tours” which will last about 45 minutes. The Times experiment with the guide revealed that there are still some inefficiencies, such as that commentaries cannot be paused but just stopped, the guide takes a while to update when in a new room, and the electronic map is rather difficult to use. The Audioguide Louvre – Nintendo 3DS will become available in the Louvre for visitors to enjoy from 11th April 2012 onwards. There are nearly nine million visitors to the Louvre per year.