Lehigh University art collection now accessible by mobile app
Lehigh University, a private institution in Pennsylvania, has recently adopted the use of Bloomberg Connects, an app that makes the works in its art galleries available through a mobile app.
The app, from Bloomberg Philanthropies, provides access the work displayed at Lehigh University Art Galleries. The works can be viewed by those visiting them in person, along with self-guided tours of gallery spaces and outdoor sculptures. Or the works can be viewed remotely, along with artist interviews and other information.
“Joining Bloomberg Connects represents a major step forward in fulfilling our mission to allow the broadest possible audience to connect with art,” William Crow, gallery director and professor of practice, said in a statement. “We believe that technology should serve as a bridge, not a barrier, and this app empowers our visitors – on campus and around the globe – to explore LUAG’s diverse collection and educational resources on their own terms.”
The university galleries have been free and open to the public since the 1920s. They include more than 20,000 works at seven locations.
Numerous other universities have similarly catalogued their galleries for online viewing. Ohio State University undertook a similar project last year with its launch on Bloomberg Connects, in hopes of furthering the reach of artworks that “are driven by open experimentation, vibrant interdisciplinary collaboration and a deep commitment to fostering community,” according to the university website.
