Audio tour

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An audio tour or audio guide provides a recorded spoken commentary, normally through a handheld device, to a visitor attraction such as an exhibition (often an art exhibition) or museum collection. They can also be available for self-guided tours of outdoor locations. Typically, the user selects a short piece of spoken information by typing in a number that may be displayed by an artwork or some other museum object, for example. Increasingly, PDAs or VDA s are being used to provide a multimedia experience for such tours rather than just sound.

An audio guide provides background, context, and information on the works being viewed (Fisher 2004, p.49). Recently, Audio Trails describing points of interest on a walking tour are becoming more popular. Audio guides are often in multilingual versions and can be made available in different ways. Traditionaly rented on the spot, more recently downloaded from the Internet, often in MP3 format, or available via the mobile phone network. Some audio guides are free or included in the entrance fee, others have to be purchased separately.