Imagine what life would be like if you had a mobile app just like Shazam but for works of art instead of music. Now stop imagining and download the Smartify App, which can help you recognize hundreds of paintings and sculptures around the world simply by pointing your phone camera at them.

What Smartify does for you:

1. Recognizes the work of art.

2. Tells you the story and context behind the painting, thus creating a meaningful relationship between humans and art.

3. Plays audio interviews with artists and art curators.

4. Suggests other highlights of the art venue you are currently visiting.

5. Lets you save your favorite works of art and all the information about them in a personal collection.

6. It’s available for both iOS and Android, smartphones and tablets.

7. It’s free!

Photo courtesy of Smartify

Some of the participating museums and galleries:

The National Gallery (London)

Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York)

The Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam)

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia (Madrid)

Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia (Doge’s Palace, Museo Correr etc) (Venice)

…and many more are signing up!

6 quick questions for the founders of Smartify App:

Smartify will change the way you travel by… making art instantly recognizable in the museums and art galleries you visit.

The idea behind Smartify was born when… the co-founders all realized it is the stories and context behind an artwork that make it relevant and build a deeper connection.

The best way to experience art in a truly meaningful way is to… visit the physical museum and spend time with the works.

What most people miss about museums and galleries is… the extra information.

Phones and museums can coexist peacefully if… we reframe smartphones as engagement rather than distraction. Smartphones should act as an extra layer of information and not get in the way of the artwork.

One travel challenge for everyone reading this:… how many of the world’s top 100 most visited museums can you visit?

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