For some time now, the National Museum of Fine Arts of Quebec (MNABQ) has set up a conversation agent for 10 works, thanks in particular to artificial intelligence. This digital device makes it possible to reimagine the museum experience for visitors and offer them a complementary tool.
The National Museum of Fine Arts of Quebec developed the first version of the chatbot in 2022, followed by a first project in early 2023.
“With the introduction of ChatGPT, we were able to use generative intelligence and everything changed,” reveals Marie-Hélène Raymond, digital strategy coordinator at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec.
“We no longer had to imagine all the questions and possible answers. »
As with any innovation project, the museum had to adapt as technology evolved.
The test phase extends throughout the spring.
“A complementary tool”
For the museum, the conversation agent is not there to replace the role of a guide.
“Guided tours will continue to be available,” says Ms. Raymond.
In their opinion, this device is a supplementary aid for visitors.
“For example, if there is no tour at the desired time or you are embarrassed to ask questions in the group, the system is an option,” she explains.
Attention spans have evolved since the introduction of this digital device.
“On average, people spend between 3 and 15 seconds in front of a work. Because of the user testing that’s been done, people are now staying there a lot longer,” she notes.
In practice
The prototype was initially expanded to include ten works in the MNBAQ collection rooms.
The conversation agent is not limited to simple questions and answers.
“It is possible to talk about your feelings. The device can make connections between our feelings and information about work,” explains Ms. Raymond.
Specifically, a pictogram is indicated next to each work. To do this, a code must be scanned with your cell phone.
The conversation agent developed by MNABQ can be viewed as a complementary tool for visitors.
Photo credit: Courtesy of MNABQ, Louis Hébert
“A splash page opens. All you have to do is take a photo of the work for the chatbot to recognize it. The latter offers an initial text,” she explains.
You can then ask any questions you want or your feelings, either verbally like a voice message or directly in writing.
The selection of works to be selected
Ultimately, the selection of works was not made solely based on the location of the rooms.
There we find, among other things, “The Raft of Medusa” by Adad Hannah and “The Unicorn Rooster” by Jean Dallaire.
“These are primarily works about which we have a lot of information. “The work files are complete and we know a lot about the artist,” she says.
“The more we feed the model, the more it can tell us about the work at hand. »
“The MNABQ chatbot is not open to the World Wide Web like ChatGPT. We don’t want our device to make mistakes or search on a website that has not been approved by the museum,” she adds.
In other words: The contents of the device remain authentic.
In the future, the museum plans to expand the conversation agent to include other works.
“We will later use it in the higher rooms for decorative arts and Inuit art, as well as 10 new works. “We will certainly do the same for L'Hommage à Rosa Luxembourg,” she reveals.
“This device is so easy to access. We can approach work in any way that suits our needs and knowledge. This enables a completely different and, above all, personalized approach to work,” summarizes Marie-Hélène Raymond.
This article was written by Local Journalism Initiative reporter Anne Charlotte Gillain.
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