In the presentation of a new arrangement of the permanent collection (November 2014), the Van Gogh Museum also introduced a multimedia tour. The visitor now has three different options for learning about the work of Van Gogh: in-depth, just the highlights, or with short games and quiz questions. The three different tours, in ten different languages, can be followed on a single unit. The 5-inch touchscreen player is robust enough to withstand being lent out hundreds of times; the user-friendly operation ensures there are no unnecessary queues at the reception desk.

Two worlds, the digital world and the historic, interconnect in this project. It allows the museum visitor to experience the work of Van Gogh from another perspective, in a way that raises the educative aspect of the museum to a higher level. The app has been developed with honourable intentions, with great respect for the painter. The multidisciplinary cooperation has resulted in an innovative application, with service design, interaction, design, content and technology reinforcing each other.

The project is a great way for museum visitors to better interpret Van Gogh’s work, while at the same time taking the museum’s educational activities a step further. It also offers other museums an exciting way to engage with visitors to whom using handheld devices is second nature. The innovative application demonstrates that modern apps and more traditional museums can interact in perfect synergy. Operational design, interaction, visual design, content and technology complement one another; the multi-disciplinary collaboration with art historians and other experts has resulted in an exciting and exemplary end product.