(New York, August 8, 2014)—The Metropolitan Museum of Art launched today a new iPad app, 82nd & Fifth, in which 100 curators from across the Museum talk about 100 works of art from the Met's collection that changed the way they see the world—one work, one curator, two minutes at a time. Eleven Museum photographers interpret the curators' audio commentaries visually. The app is presented in English, Arabic, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of the Metropolitan Museum, said: "82nd & Fifth is a project that speaks directly to my interest in connecting the Met's collection to a broader audience. In a world filled with constant information, these two-minute, authoritative commentaries provide powerful, compelling content in quick doses. We hope they will intrigue a range of audiences, from those who already know and love the Met to those who are new to art."
The 82nd & Fifth app is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Based on the 2013 award-winning online series 82nd & Fifth, the app has several important enhancements.
The 100 episodes on the app are creatively arranged under thematic categories such as "Heroes and Villains," "Faith and Devotion," "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," "Home Décor," "Dinner Club," "Wildlife," "The Art of Parties," "Love Stories," "Ensemble Cast," "Politics in Art.”
The iPad app is presented in the same way in each of the 12 languages—with audio in English accompanied by subtitles—making 82nd & Fifth easily available to audiences internationally and to those who prefer to access rich media content via tablets. Visitors can download, favorite, and share episodes, and create their own collections.
The app is available for download from the Museum's 82nd & Fifth website and the iTunes App Store. A version for download in mainland China will be available soon.
The 82nd & Fifth app is produced by the Metropolitan Museum’s Digital Media Department in collaboration with CHIPS.
Also Available
Additional resources enrich the experience of visiting the Metropolitan Museum and make it easier to learn about art and culture through the Met’s collection. Floor plans and walking tours are available free with admission. An Audio Guide for individual use in the galleries can be rented ($7 for adults, $6 for members, children under 12 accompanied by adult). And the Guide, a book of highlights of the collection with commentary by the Museum’s curators, is available in the Met’s bookshops and on its website.
Also online, a special page carries visitor information about hours and location. And a new interactive web feature One Met. Many Worlds. provides details on more than 500 individual works of art, linking them to universal themes and concepts, and inviting visitors to respond by creating their own pairings of images.
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August 8, 2014