Skip the Audio Guide, Use Your Cell

I'm in Columbus checking out the city to review some museum exhibits and experience the family-friendly resort Cherry Valley Lodge. My first stop took me to The Columbus Museum of Art where they're showing an extensive Monet exhibit (now until January 20th, 2008). The museum is warm and friendly with a cozy atmosphere, like you've stumbled upon someone's jewel of an art den.

But instead of the sterile audio guides that play in a loop while a group of patrons are lead numbly in one direction, the museum is using a guide you can use right from your cell. Guide By Cell allows you to dial in and listen to information on any exhibit that catches your eye. Skip the ones you don't care about and spend time on all your favorites. Best of all, there's no equipment to buy or rent. The staff simply places a card next to each painting with the number to call and a code to identify the piece of art. Then musem goers hear pre-recorded information designed by the staff and perhaps coolest of fall -- you can even leave yourself a message to remind yourself of what you thought. From there the museum can easily turn the recordings into podcasts and stream them from their own website. The Columbus Museum of Art was the first art museum in the state to use this innovation.

But it's not just museums having all the fun, Guide By Cell is being installed in parks, Aquariums, driving and walking tours, even performances at live dance performances. All the more reason to up your plan to unlimited minutes so you can travel and learn in style.

awww... don't they look so happy on their cells?