The app is nice to search by an artist or artwork. The geofencing is great to show where you are in the museum. After that, it has several drawbacks. It crashes and has to reload whenever you switch to a different app. Then you are stuck on the loading screen and have to get back to wherever you are. I tried to load the narration for one of the miniature rooms and I couldn’t choose by number, then randomly pushed a dot near my location. I got an error message saying it couldn’t download the file.
I’m a long-time AITC member. Got an email from them saying membership was expiring soon. Thought I’d get the App to check hours and exhibit dates of something I wanted to see rather than just Googling it. The App is a waste. No hours listed! No days open listed! No overall list of exhibits or coming events! Sure, I can watch a 15 minute video of something and see a floor plan, but that’s not what I need! I searched “hours” it gave me “horses”. Only useful thing I found was my membership doesn’t expire for another 3months. But who cares, I still don’t know when the exhibit ends or day the Museum is closed. Back to Google
The tours, mapping, etc are all tremendous app features. The app trips up on execution in two specific ways: (1) The opening graphic animation — which you cannot bypass — is too long to wait for as you are standing in front of the person waiting to scan your membership card info. Wait for it... wait for it... doesn’t this slow down the lines? (2) Every time I try to use the “switch cardholders” button (info comes up as my wife by default), the app crashes. Every time. (iPhone X, latest iOS release) I’ve kept the old member app (no longer available in the App Store) on my phone just in order to avoid using the “new & improved” app. Which is all to say: it would be a great app if the basic functioning for members was taken care of.
This is a very clean handy app with a nice audio guide and map. The only real problem I’ve had is that when I try to access my member card, it displays an error message saying it can’t be found, then it keeps popping back up after I dismiss it. The only way to make it stop is to quit the app. The app does recognize me as it welcomes me by name on the main screen. I’m using the most recent version and my iOS is up to date. The member card feature has never worked.
I loved using the app for the audio tour around the museum! The tour options were great for getting a taste of the collections in a short amount of time. This app also allows you to punch in the number for any piece to hear about it. The map works excellently and even knows what floor you are on! The visual descriptions for pieces are a great resource for visitors with visual impairments. Every museum should have an app like this.
The good, the audio is really helpful. The bad, the map actually makes the experience worse because you try to use it and it doesn’t show your location and is constantly shifting about and doesn’t allow you to move it around. It’d be better for f they just remove the map, everything else is ok.
For the past three years that I have tried to renew my membership, the renewal states no information. I think I’ve been a member for over 25 years. Then I called the membership department and could not reach anyone. I had to mail in my renewal, which I’m not keen on because of check Fraud. One time I received a pop up when I was trying to renew that said, it’s not you. It’s us. Really, no kidding. It’s time to fix the app.
The map is infuriating to use. It interface to navigate the map is bad. You can’t tell at a glance what each building/wing contains. The level of detail is constantly changing depending on the amount of zoom. They need to provide a toggle to display collection or individual artwork. That would make it possible to show all the areas at once and let people know where they are and how to get where they want to go.
Work out the one bug and I’d at least give 4 stars
This app is decent for information on different pieces of the collection. The fact I have literally never been able to access the membership card makes it almost useless since I can find everything else available in other places online.
The audio tour enriched my experience tremendously. I followed the Essentials Collection. Would have been helpful if there were more directions about how to navigate the museum - very confusing layout.
The search functionality is super helpful to find artworks and services like restaurants and cafes. The tours have amazing audio content! Very easy to orient yourself in the museum and locate the artworks. Overall great experience!
The map constantly drags back to where it thinks you are therefore you are unable to look around the map for areas you want to go. I see the app was last updated 2 years ago so maybe they gave up on trying to make it work.
When this app works, it’s good and only when at the museum. But so frustrating to constantly have it crash or just not open! I want to look up my membership card before entering the museum or glimpse upcoming events and it just won’t load.
Very helpful map that shows you where you are in real time, with numerous audio guide / tours that are well done and add a lot to your visit. Awesome companion to a visit.
Wow, this app is so cool! I’m a member at the Art Institute and one of the coolest features is having your member card at your finger tips. You can also search for any artwork on view. Pretty nifty.
Please be aware that outside the entrance of the Art Institute about six people are constantly drumming on 5 gallon buckets. They’re incredibly loud. They’ve been doing this for many many years. The Art Institute doesn’t appear to have any interest in clearing them out in front. So, when you come to the artist, be prepared to wear earplugs to get in the entrance.
Sometime I can access my member card, and sometimes not. It’s very unreliable. Also, the opening screen animation is way too slow. It’s even gotten hung up on that animation. These are basics that really need to be fixed before any of the other nice functions can be used.
As a member of the museum I don’t need an app to navigate the galleries. The search and audio functions are certainly nice features, but what I could really use, though, is an app that quickly loads my member ID with a single tap as I head to the museum entrance, coat check or members lounge.
Far too slow to load. Getting to membership card is unreliable on busy days at the museum. AIC should provide member card in Apple wallet as Field and MSI do. The app is a nice idea for use during museum visits, but the map doesn’t work well and it’s a horrible way to simply access a membership card.
I downloaded and installed on my iPhone 11, and it is not able to look up and save my membership info, and often crashes and sends me back to the App Store w the error, “app not available - the app is currently not available in your country or region” ... and I’m in Chicago.
Just installed on iPhone 11. Freezes after The splash screen. Once the progress bar completes, an animation shows a 3D view of the institute & that’s it. Freezes there. Nothing else shows up.
Really excited to see that they included the audio guides and quick access to the member card. My favorite feature so far is the "Tours" section which provides you with a series of stops and commentary throughout each exhibit - much like if you were getting a private tour or guide. The app is really well organized and I would highly recommend using the app if you are visiting the museum.
The app is very polished. The ability to take a guided audio tour at your own pace without the need for a separate device is easy. Unfortunately some of the tours are a little confusing when artwork is moved to new galleries, contrary to the app's map showing the old location—necessitating an investigative walk around until you find the artwork.
the audio guide will keep replaying automatically, when one wake the phone from standby mode. Have to force quit the app every time to prevent this. The location service is also not very accurate, perhaps one can use wifi signal to improve the accuracy.
This app is very well designed and really made a difference for me when I went to visit! The maps work very well and the stories you can listen to are fantastic.
It's like a podcast scavenger hunt. It allows you to pick a specific type of tour and then chase after the art pieces. The audio clips are short 2-3 minutes and provide great info additional from the painting info.
So far my favorite aspect is the audio commentary on the paintings. I was also able to link my membership card. I look forward to trying one of the tours next visit!
Needs to have Apple Wallet integration for the member card, so that it shows on lock screen when at the Institute. Don’t need to go hunting for the app amongst the dozens on my phone. Also needs to have access to all audio tours. Integrate payments for special exhibit audio tours using Apple Pay, but should be able to use on the phone.
The app crashes and time out constantly. Also, the ability to look up an audio explanation of a work of art by typing in the code doesn’t work. I’ve visited museums whose apps work well, and it makes for a great experience. Unfortunately this app just leads to frustration.
Download the award-winning—and now newly updated—Art Institute of Chicago Official Mobile app. The Art Institute has thousands of artworks on view—each with its own story to tell. Our app is your personal guide to the collection, introducing you to a world of art, culture, and creativity along the way. There’s bound to be a tour that suits your interests. Whether it’s architecture or Impressionism, modern art or miniatures, the audio tours cover a range of subjects and are rich with behind-the-scenes anecdotes, unique and varied voices, and music that weaves a narrative thread. Plus, a location-aware map helps you orient yourself in the galleries and see which artworks are nearby. Members can even access a digital version of their member card so they can enjoy all their on-site benefits. Hop on or off a tour at any time—and listen wherever you are, not just at the museum. A fresh and engaging experience of art awaits.
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