Museum Exhibition Guide App 'Pocket Curator' Introduced at Anjo City Museum of History
The free museum guide app 'Pocket Curator,' developed by Waseda System Development Corp., has been launched at the Anjo City Museum of History in Aichi Prefecture as of April 2026. By utilizing visitors' smartphones, the museum can provide exhibition commentary while minimizing operational costs.
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- 📰 Published: May 28, 2026 at 09:30
- 🔍 Collected: June 1, 2026 at 00:51 (87h 21m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 1, 2026 at 23:45 (22h 53m after Collected)
We are pleased to announce that the service of 'Pocket Curator' (developed by Waseda System Development Corp., Shinjuku, Tokyo), a free guide app for museums that allows users to enjoy exhibition commentary via smartphones, began operations at the Anjo City Museum of History (Anjo City, Aichi Prefecture) in April 2026.
Background of Introduction: The Anjo City Museum of History, a treasure trove of local history and culture, boasts a rich collection including the nationally designated Important Cultural Property 'Human-faced Jar,' the Horiuchi Shell Mound from the late Jomon period, and materials related to the Sakurai Kofun group, representing the early Kofun period in the Nishi-Mikawa region. As the museum sought to enhance services for visitors, the momentum for introducing an audio guide grew.
Reasons for Selection: 'Pocket Curator,' which had already been adopted by nearby facilities, is an auxiliary function of the cloud-based collection management system 'I.B.MUSEM SaaS' and is available free of charge to user museums. Furthermore, while introducing dedicated audio guide terminals requires maintenance and update costs, 'Pocket Curator' was highly evaluated for its zero operational cost, as it delivers content via the visitors' own smartphones.
Features of Content: In the permanent exhibition room, text data is provided alongside audio guides. Listening to the commentary while viewing the artifacts conveys the charm of the exhibits in greater detail. These commentaries can also be enjoyed outside the museum, making them useful as reference materials for regional studies.
About Anjo City Museum of History: The museum focuses on the Yahagi River basin (Nishi-Mikawa) and allows visitors to learn about history and culture from primitive times to the modern era. The permanent exhibition room introduces the history of the region from political, economic, and cultural perspectives. The special exhibition room hosts various exhibitions on themes such as history, archaeology, and folklore.
Overview of Pocket Curator: 'Pocket Curator' is a guide app that allows users to view and listen to exhibition commentary using their smartphones. A key feature is that a single app can be used across multiple museums. Once installed, users can access exhibition guides at participating facilities nationwide. The guide content is uniquely created by each museum, with information delivered in various styles, including text, photos, videos, and audio.
Background of Introduction: The Anjo City Museum of History, a treasure trove of local history and culture, boasts a rich collection including the nationally designated Important Cultural Property 'Human-faced Jar,' the Horiuchi Shell Mound from the late Jomon period, and materials related to the Sakurai Kofun group, representing the early Kofun period in the Nishi-Mikawa region. As the museum sought to enhance services for visitors, the momentum for introducing an audio guide grew.
Reasons for Selection: 'Pocket Curator,' which had already been adopted by nearby facilities, is an auxiliary function of the cloud-based collection management system 'I.B.MUSEM SaaS' and is available free of charge to user museums. Furthermore, while introducing dedicated audio guide terminals requires maintenance and update costs, 'Pocket Curator' was highly evaluated for its zero operational cost, as it delivers content via the visitors' own smartphones.
Features of Content: In the permanent exhibition room, text data is provided alongside audio guides. Listening to the commentary while viewing the artifacts conveys the charm of the exhibits in greater detail. These commentaries can also be enjoyed outside the museum, making them useful as reference materials for regional studies.
About Anjo City Museum of History: The museum focuses on the Yahagi River basin (Nishi-Mikawa) and allows visitors to learn about history and culture from primitive times to the modern era. The permanent exhibition room introduces the history of the region from political, economic, and cultural perspectives. The special exhibition room hosts various exhibitions on themes such as history, archaeology, and folklore.
Overview of Pocket Curator: 'Pocket Curator' is a guide app that allows users to view and listen to exhibition commentary using their smartphones. A key feature is that a single app can be used across multiple museums. Once installed, users can access exhibition guides at participating facilities nationwide. The guide content is uniquely created by each museum, with information delivered in various styles, including text, photos, videos, and audio.
FAQ
Is this app widely used in Japan?
Yes, it has been adopted by numerous museums and art galleries across Japan, from Hokkaido to Kyushu.