Cell phones often get the rap as being facilitators of bad manners in public, but the San Jose Museum of Art has the novel idea of getting it's patrons to listen instead of talk.
During a current exibit, "Visual Politics: The Art of Engagement," the museum may have become the first to offer tours to the exibit via cell phone. Next month they will offer the tour of "Art Caliente! Selections from the Joe A. Diaz Collectio"', in Spanish.
According to The Mercury News, by calling a specific local number, "visitors can hear a welcome from" the museum director Dan Keegan, "followed by an object-by-object explanation of 13 works in the "Visual Politics" show, along with pertinent musical interludes. There is no charge for the service."
The service is provided by Guide By Cell, and is also offered at, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, and the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Conn.. Guide By Cell is testing it's service with another 75 institutions.
[via The Mercury News] [more info at Guide By Cell]