EcoTarium launches accessibility app to boost equitable museum viewing

A building with a large glass front sits behind a statue of a dinosaur.

Photo | Courtesy of the EcoTarium The EcoTarium in Worcester

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Worcester’s EcoTarium has launched a mobile-phone navigation app prototype in collaboration with students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute aimed at elevating the outdoor museum-going experience for visitors, especially those with visual impairments.

The EcoTarium Explorer app offers descriptions of the muserum’s outdoor exhibits, including audio descriptions, a voice-guided interface, hazard alerts, and navigation maps to assist visitors through the EcoTarium’s 45 acres of natural grounds, according to a Friday press release from the EcoTarium. The museum worked in partnership with fourth-year WPI students to develop and implement the app.

“We are fortunate to have WPI as a local STEM resource,” Katie Chappell, the EcoTarium’s director of education and exhibits, said in the release. “The EcoTarium Explorer app fits squarely within our mission to inspire a passion for science and nature through one-of-a-kind experiences, interactive exhibits, and accessible programming for all.”

WPI students worked on the app as part of their capstone major qualifying project with Eric Zago, WPI graduate and the EcoTarium’s technical special projects manager, serving as their project sponsor.

“Having been through the MQP experience as a student myself, I was delighted to be able to give back to the WPI community by working with these students on the development of this navigation assistance app,” Zago said in the release.

The app will offer accessible services in both a standard mode and a low vision mode.

The EcoTarium plans to further develop the app, adding more features including enhanced routing information, improved path selection, and a feature to recalculate the route if users deviate from a recommended path.

Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion industries.