The ExploreCentral Mobile App: Interpreting Ellensburg through Digital Technology

During 2014-15, students in museum studies have collaborated with computer science students to create a new mobile app called ExploreCentral for Android smart phones. The app makes interpretive materials available on points of interest (e.g., art, history, environmental, architectural) through a GoogleMap interface, allowing users to hear audio and see still images and video related to the location they are standing in front of, at the click of a button. Some of the student-authored audio segments are humorous (e.g., a spoken commentary by the statue, Kitt the Coyote) and other are serious (e.g., information on how to find a homeless shelter in town). Students will present their digital segments and discuss the challenges of effective navigation and information architecture through this innovative digital platform