In the era of COVID-19, art museums and galleries across the country have closed their doors. One startup is helping to bridge that gap for art-lovers and institutions alike with some help from technology and groundbreaking research.
This week, startup Cuseum launched “Museum From Home” an Augmented Reality (AR) experience where users can virtually enjoy famous artworks from museums in the comfort of their own home. Cuseum’s objective is to create a platform to help museum, nonprofits, and public attractions to propel visitor, member, and donor engagement.
With the “Museum From Home” app, users can virtually place paintings and other objects onto walls in their homes that would normally only be viewed in a museum settings. Current museum partners include the Kemper Museum, The White House Historical Association, the North Carolina Museum of Art, and the Center for Creative Photography.
Accompanying the launch, Cuseum has published a pioneering research study on the neuroscience behind the brain’s perception to art in digital mediums like AR and VR as compared to the physical artwork. The study was conducted by neuroscientists and advised by Dr. Pawan Sinha, a world-renown neuroscientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).The study supports the claim that AR and VR can create an neurologically stimulating experience equally immersive to that of viewing the authentic, original artwork in-person.
Cuseum CEO & Founder Brendan Ciecko said “Critics have long debated the role and impact of technology in the display, consumption, and creation of art. Until now, there has never been an empirical study that looks beyond opinion and taps into neurological activity to understand the human brain’s response to art experienced in real-life compared to virtually.” He added “Today marks a new milestone in our understanding of how people perceive and react to art through digital channels, and offers immutable support for continuing to make art accessible in all formats. This research underscores that the ‘aura’ of art is not lost when experienced virtually.”
