The Da Vinci Device

I’m a gadget freak and I just love any new technology that’s clever and innovative - and useful. Dulwich Picture Gallery have a great new initiative, using PDAs (handheld digital devices) to enable visitors to interact with the beautiful Baroque art in its collections.

The PDA connects via wi-fi in the Gallery to a selection of art “trails ” that will take you to different paintings. There are questions and fun tidbits of information to discuss and debate with your friends, making the whole experience of visiting this art gallery interactive and very 21st century. That great innovator Leonarda da Vinci himself would have approved!

Here is a video of Ingrid Beazley*, E-Learning Programme Developer, talking to me about the DiGit Art Trails at the Dulwich Picture Gallery. I met Ingrid giving a demo of the PDAs at the Gallery this morning and asked her spontaneously to tell me about them, capturing it on my mobile phone and uploading it onto Fusion View within an hour of getting home - I just love the wonders of modern technology!

You can hire a PDA at the PDA desk when you go to the Dulwich Picture Gallery at weekends. It costs £3 on top of your entry ticket, which is pretty good value. To find out how to get there, click here. To find out more about the Gallery, go to http://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/.

*Ingrid is also Chair of the Friends of the Dulwich Picture Gallery.

Disclosure: I am involved with the Friends of the Dulwich Picture Gallery as member of their film club team, GalleryFilm, and I am also helping them with their social media strategy. The Friends support the work of the Gallery by their annual subscriptions which in return give Friends discounts on Gallery events. The Friends also raise funds for the Gallery through active volunteer activities - for example, all profits from the film club go to the Gallery. To find out more about the Friends, click here