Americans for the Arts’ Public Art Network (PAN) Blog

Public art–there’s an app for that
by Libby Rosof

The audio about the Aero Memorial by Paul Manship, for instance – a sculpture in which I had no interest – suddenly made me understand why the sculpture exists

I’ve done a lot of snarling at Philadelphia’s public art from time to time, but an unusually well thought out, user-friendly public art project has been unveiled recently that brings rhyme and reason plus history and art history to some of the sculptures that I’ve rejected or ignored over the years. The city’s main tenders of public art, the Fairmount Park Art Association, have created a terrific audio tour –Museum Without Walls™: AUDIO – of public sculptures.

On the hoof or at home online, the tour works in many different ways – from technology gizmos like smart phones to plain old paper map and guide. But the best approach uses technology, whatever its level. The little podcasts are chockablock with interesting information. The audio about the Aero Memorial by Paul Manship, for instance – a sculpture in which I had no interest – suddenly made me understand why the sculpture exists. Read more here.

About Museum Without Walls™: AUDIO

Professionally produced 3-4 minute interpretive audio segments explore 51 sculptures at 35 stops along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Kelly Drive. Each speaker featured in Museum Without Walls™: AUDIO is an “authentic voice” – someone who is connected to the sculpture by knowledge or experience. Nearly 100 unique voices are featured, including artists, educators, scientists, writers, curators, civic leaders, and historians.