Musée du Louvre

by Your iPhone doesn’t just offer ticked off birds, social streams and clever photo effects, it also offers a window into the world of art, art history and culture, right in the palm of your hand. Thanks to some excellent apps from some forward-thinking organizations, you can browse a world of amazing art and even go on virtual audio and video tours through exhibitions from all around the world. If you’ve always wanted to visit the Louvre, or see the Australian National Gallery but can’t because of that terrible distance/cost combo, take a look at these great gallery apps we’ve curated for you. 1 of 5 London's National Gallery offers up the jewels in its crown as click-through topics, but also adds some fun functionality with an "Insight" section that lets you explore the art via themes, such as "vanity," "light," "hope" and "fury." These "Insights" come in the form of fascinating, bite-size audio commentary on particular works that relate to the theme. In total, there's some 250 works with video, audio and zoomable high resolution images which should help justify that price tag. Cost: $2.99 1 Australia isn't the easiest place to get to, so this app, which showcases the treasures at the National Gallery of Victoria, is a real treat for all you non-Aussie art fans. You can view the highlights of the gallery's collection as well as find out more about the current exhibitions, with images and info on all the displays. Cost: Free 2 The Louvre is one of the most famous art museums in the world, housed in a historic landmark -- the Palais du Louvre. The Musee du Louvre app lets you explore both highlights of the collection and the palace itself, in a nice "Cover Flow-style" layout. Multi-lingual video tours will take you on a virtual visit through parts of the palace, while text info will tell you what you should take a closer look at in the high res image library. Cost: Free 3 On one hand, the MoMA app is a useful companion product for those visiting the gallery. On the other, it's a brilliant resource for those who can't get there in person. As far as visitors go, there's practical info about what's on display, and a fun MoMA "Snaps" function that lets you turn a photo into a museum postcard. The audio "Mobile Tours" can be used for insight while Read More

If you're not traveling to Paris anytime soon to visit The Louvre, then grab the art museum's free iPhone app. It's packed with enough info about its famous paintings to make you feel like you're there on a private tour. This amazingly slick free app provides a virtual tour of its galleries and lets users check out the works of everyone from DaVinci to Michelangelo. The app gets you up close and personal with paintings, drawings, prints,sculptures, and even the French Crown Jewels. Each image comes with its own set of data including the history of the piece, a zoomable photo, technical info like when it arrived at the museum, and even the exact location where it's housed at the Louvre. Some images even include in-depth videos about the piece. The Louvre app is more than just a way to look at pretty pictures, though. You can also whip through a tour of the building, check out a formal royal palace located on museum grounds, and get visitor information if you plan to go there in person. This a really fantastic way to browse the art collection of one of the most famous museums on the planet, but it also makes a great tool for teaching kids about art. Got any favorite apps for checking out museums that are too far away to visit? Let us know in the comments. Read More

Apple typically opens retail stores in high-end shopping areas, and this one is as high-end as it gets. Beneath the great glass pyramid that marks the entrance to the Louvre Museum in Paris is Carrousel du Louvre, home to shops, a gourmet food court, exhibition space and, as of this Saturday, an Apple Store. This will be the first Apple Store in Paris and in France. Another Apple Store is poised to open in the seaside town of Montpellier next Saturday. This location has the now iconic glass spiral staircase that's featured in other flagship stores and two levels total. If you can't visit Apple Store Carrousel du Louvre this weekend, check out the photos and coverage from ifoAppleStore as well as these photos on Flickr. C'est Magnifique! Also notable this week is the new Musee du Louvre app that's available for free from the App Store [iTunes link]. Coincidentally, of course. Read More

Est-ce un hasard si le musée du Louvre lance son application iPhone à deux jours de l'ouverture, dans la galerie marchande qui le jouxte, du premier Apple Store français ? Nous serions tentés de dire que non Cela dit, le Louvre emboite le pas au musée de Cluny et se dote donc d'une application iPhone grâce à laquelle on pourra découvrir virtuellement certaines des oeuvres phare du premier musée français, consulter le plan de certaines ailes et disposer d'informations pratiques. Pesant 62 Mo, l'application est proposée au téléchargement gratuit sur l'App Store. On pourra donc s'arrêter sur certaines oeuvres, zoomer, et profiter de vidéos explicatives. La présentation des oeuvres adopte l'interface Coverflow. La réalisation semble très correcte, même si l'on aura rapidement fait le tour des contenus proposés. Bientôt l'audioguide directement depuis l'iPhone ? Nous n'en sommes pas encore là : pour l'instant, le Louvre semble avoir pris le parti de se contenter d'une application vitrine, destinée à inciter les touristes de passage ou les Parisiens à venir flâner dans ses couloirs. Read More