Evaluation shows that people taking the tour spend longer in the galleries, and 87 percent say that the tour improved their visit.
The most popular types of content are interviews with artists and videos of artist at work, and audio commentaries accompanied by
images.
The tour experience is carefully constructed, with information provided in short segments, so that the viewer's attention is
consistently drawn back to the artwork on display. By incorporating a wide spectrum of voices and opinions, from inside
and outside the museum, we hope to promote a sense of genuine debate about ideas in modern and contemporary art. The interactive
elements of the tour give visitors a chance to offer their own opinions, and encourage a proactive approach to learning.
Using hand-held computers to deliver a range of multimedia content is particularly attractive to an art gallery like Tate Modern
that is concerned to preserve the visual integrity of its displays. The devices are discreet and allow each visitor to access
information in the order they choose and at their own pace, avoiding the problems of crowding associated with more conventional
static computer terminals. This new tour takes its place alongside Tate's award-winning Audio Tours, and reflects the gallery's
commitment to developing the next generation of learning tools.
