App of the Week: Rijksmuseum
With the sun shining, it is actually much too hot to go to a museum, although you can of course combine it with a day in Amsterdam and a picnic in the Vondelpark. The App of the Week is the app of the Rijksmuseum and it is so complete that you may wonder whether you still need to go to the Rijksmuseum.
Contents
Rijksmuseum
The app first asks you whether you are a visitor who is currently in the museum or not. If you choose ‘not’, you can visit the Rijksstudio, where you can see all kinds of art objects, with a somewhat general explanation, in addition to information per item about the material and the artist. What is striking is that you cannot shop online in the Rijks app, because you can do that on the website. However, if you are in the museum and are in that part of the app, you can get a 10 percent discount in the physical museum shop (so don’t forget, if you are actually present in the Rijksmuseum).
I cheated a bit in this App of the Week review: I’m not in the museum, but I did listen to the museum route. It helps that I’ve been there a few times so I know roughly what to expect. Wonderful to hear the stories behind the paintings, but also the many other objects in the museum. You can just listen to it as a kind of podcast and that’s very interesting. This way you learn more about art and the history of our country. There are also all themed tours to do, such as one about female artists.
Nice listening
Is it a shame you don’t see what it’s about? Certainly. But often you can imagine something about it and that helps. In addition, the narration voices are also very pleasant to listen to. It goes pretty fast, because you don’t want to stand in front of a display case like that for ten minutes. In addition, the app also contains images that help you understand what it is about. Of course I still maintain that a real visit to the museum is always the best idea, but if you need to learn something, this app is a little gift on your phone. Moreover, it looks very nice: completely in the style of the Rijks.
What’s funny is that you can also choose your favorite works. My favorite has always been The Threatened Swan by Jan Asselijn, which he painted around 1650. The funny thing is that you find it under the heading ‘dogs’, that’s because a dog comes swimming up that scared the swan so much. In any case, it is wonderful to listen to the explanation of the painting. There is even a video in which the lyrics are explained in more detail.
Rijksmuseum
Rijksmuseum
With the Rijksmuseum app you get the most out of your visit and make the museum an extra fun experience. You get free access to multimedia tours, ..
Choose your favourites
Choose what you think is a beautiful painting (or actually 3, to make your own route and listen to it) and you have a moment in the Rijksmuseum, without having to travel all the way to the capital. The app is quite simple, but that’s not a disaster. It would be nice if, for example, it contained a source of information or a kind of discussion forum for asking questions and discussing theories, but at the same time that does not fit the style of the Rijksmuseum, which is primarily a broadcaster. That is why I stick to my opinion: this app is a great way for a digital museum visit, not only when you are alone, by the way, also with others. Have fun!
What is your favorite from the Rijksmuseum, is it in the app? Leave it in the comments.
App of the Week
You’ll find one every Monday at Androidworld Best apps of the week and every Saturday we discuss an app in our section app of the week. If you are looking for fun apps, then you’ve come to the right place at Androidworld. Search our large database of apps using the links below.
