Beyond audio guides: when technology makes culture more accessible (and understandable)
Introduction
There's a striking statistic: according to research from the University of Bamberg, most museum visitors spend less than 40 seconds in front of a work of art, and only 37% read the wall text (source: Smithsonian Institution).
It's not simple inattention: often museum language fails to truly speak to people. It is a rich, technical language, but distant from the way we learn and understand the world around us today.
amuseapp and new ways of experiencing culture
In recent years, however, something is changing. Italian museums are undergoing a profound digital transformation, supported by PNRR investments and a renewed interest in cultural innovation. More and more institutions are experimenting with tools that make visits more immersive, accessible and personalized: from smart audio guides to interactive thematic routes.
It is from this vision that amuseapp was born, a startup from the Belluno area that chose to use artificial intelligence to make culture accessible to everyone.
Artificial intelligence in the cultural sector: amuseapp and amuseagent
Founded in 2024 by Marco Da Rin Zanco, Michele Da Rold and Alberto Nalin, amuseapp is a spin-off of Larin, a marketing and digitalization agency based in Belluno.
The mission is clear: to make every visit to cultural sites an experience accessible to all.
At the heart of the platform is amuseagent, an artificial intelligence system capable of analyzing texts, catalogs and raw materials provided by museums and turning them into customizable narrative content.
Every visitor – adult or child, expert or curious, tourist or student – can access a tailored version of the route, adapted to their age, language and level of knowledge.
Just scan a QR code to enjoy an interactive, multilingual experience, with no technological barriers.
"Artificial intelligence does not replace culture, it accompanies and enhances it," explains Marco Da Rin Zanco, co-founder & CEO of amuseapp.
"We have created a tool that gives people back the pleasure of fully understanding what they observe, and gives cultural sites the ability to tell their own story in an innovative way. Our mission is to democratize access to knowledge."
From left: Michele Da Rold (co-founder & PR of amuseapp), Alberto Nalin (co-founder of amuseapp and CEO of larin), Marco Da Rin Zanco (co-founder and CEO of amuseapp)
A new language for museums
amuseapp is not just a support tool for visitors, but also an ally for curators.
The platform allows museums to create, distribute and analyze their digital content while maintaining full curatorial control.
Thanks to anonymously collected data, such as time spent in front of a work or the most commonly used language, museums can better understand their audience and build more engaging and inclusive experiences.
"Technology, when used the right way, is not a filter but a language that opens doors," adds Da Rin Zanco.
"It does not tell the story in place of curators, but gives voice to their stories."
An Italian model of cultural innovation
In less than two years, amuseapp has reached over half a million users and more than 70 cultural institutions across Italy.
And today, following the recent closing of a 350,000-euro pre-seed investment round, the startup is ready to grow beyond national borders, strengthening its technology and consolidating a model that combines innovation, accessibility and sustainability.
A milestone that, as the founders explain, "is not just financial, but human."
Because every innovation starts from a shared mission: to make the cultural experience understandable and accessible to everyone, overcoming the linguistic, economic and technological barriers that often limit access.
