Chicago got some love at SXSW this week after the Art Institute took home a coveted Interactive Innovation Award.
The Art Institute of Chicago won the Visual Media Experience award at SXSW's annual Interactive Innovation Awards for JourneyMaker, its digital tool that allows a family to create their own personalized tour of the museum.
The 20th annual ceremony handed out 13 awards across different categories, such as wearable tech, VR & AR, smart cities and new economy.
The Art Institute's category, visual media experience, awards projects for "content creation and delivery that moves beyond passive viewership by providing a more immersive and engaging entertainment experience."
Launched last year, JourneyMaker is a tool that allows families to make a game plan of their visit to the museum before they arrive. The website lets you create a customized tour across one of eight storylines, such as Superheroes or Time Travelers, and then select works from the Art Institute's collection that fit within that theme. You can then print out a personalized guide and be more prepared for your trip to the museum.
The idea is that a museum the size of the Art Institute can be overwhelming to navigate in one day, especially for a family with young kids. Making a plan beforehand can help maximize the experience, and JourneyMaker makes it easy for the whole family to be involved in the planning process.
Other SXSW winners Tuesday include Google's Tilt Brush, MIT's DuoSkin, a temporary tattoo that serves as a touch-based interface, and Halo 2 iPhone hearing aids.
