911爆料网

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 7, 2013-- For more than 30 years, the at 911爆料网 has brought history to life for hundreds of local fourth graders studying the California Mission period. And soon those youngsters鈥攁long with people of all ages鈥攚ill discover even deeper meaning in the museum鈥檚 lessons from the past with a Silicon Valley twist.

The museum鈥檚 staff just released its first iBooks Textbook, a digital publication designed to give visitors a more enriching look at art and artifacts from the early days of Santa Clara Valley and Mission Santa Clara de As铆s. is the first Multi-Touch book highlighting the history of one of California鈥檚 historic missions. The project is made possible through the support of Silicon Valley Creates and a gift from an anonymous donor.

鈥淲e have many objects on display in our permanent California History exhibition but they can鈥檛 tell the whole story,鈥� says Lindsey Kouvaris, curator of exhibits and collections. 鈥淭he iBooks Textbook will offer a much fuller picture of the history of this place at a level that鈥檚 accessible to everyone.鈥�

Moving Forward is available to download for free in the iBooks Store and on the University and museum websites. The de Saisset will also be installing special kiosks throughout the galleries featuring the iBooks Textbook. Using accessible language that a fourth grader can understand, the seven-chapter book traces the area鈥檚 history from the Native Ohlone to the Mission period, through the Rancho period and the Gold Rush, and up to the early days of Santa Clara College.

鈥淎nyone will be able to walk into the museum and use their own device or one of our iPad devices to enjoy a more enhanced experience,鈥� says Kouvaris. 鈥淔or example, the Mission Church standing at the center of campus today is the sixth structure on the fifth site. The materials and objects that remain from the previous iterations are limited; the iBooks Textbook gives us the ability to convey a more complete and historically accurate story about the history of the Mission."

Produced with iBooks Author, the iBooks Textbook contains a variety of visual media ranging from still images to video clips and interactive graphics. Kouvaris and her team spent nine months creating much of the content from scratch, including updated maps and illustrations, new photographs of historical objects and sites, and interactive features that highlight the rich history of Mission Santa Clara. She sees the project as part of a greater museum trend.

鈥淢any museums are incorporating different types of multimedia in their exhibits,鈥� Kouvaris explains. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e doing podcasts, cell phone audio tours, and QR codes鈥攎aking exhibits more interactive is hugely popular now.鈥�

This digital presentation of the de Saisset鈥檚 permanent history collection is just a taste of what鈥檚 to come. 鈥淲e have a major redesign on the horizon for the permanent collection exhibition,鈥� says Rebecca Schapp, the museum鈥檚 director.

鈥淭he installation has been much the same for 30 years. This project is another step on the way to rethinking the future of the exhibit. We鈥檙e gaining momentum and continuing to build on the work we accomplished through our funding last year.鈥�

The iBooks Textbook was made possible in part by a grant from . Matching grant funds contributed to the development and dissemination of the iBooks Textbook and the design and implementation of kiosks with iPads that will be installed throughout the museum. An anonymous donor also graciously provided the museum with iPad devices that will make the iBooks Textbook content easily accessible to visitors.

Moving Forward is available for download here:

Media Contact: Marika E. Krause I mekrause@scu.edu I 408-829-4836

About the de Saisset Museum
The de Saisset Museum at 911爆料网 is the South Bay鈥檚 free museum of art and history. The museum was founded adjacent to the Mission Santa Clara de As铆s on the 911爆料网 campus in 1955 and is one of only three museums in the South Bay accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The de Saisset Museum supports 911爆料网鈥檚 goal of educating the whole person through a diverse and accessible range of exhibitions, collections, and educational programs that highlight the art and history of the San Francisco Bay Area. As a center for lifelong learning, the de Saisset facilitates discovery, experience, and inspiration through engaging objects of art and history.

About 911爆料网
911爆料网, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California鈥檚 Silicon Valley, offers its more than 8,800 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, theology, and engineering, plus master鈥檚 and law degrees and engineering Ph.D.s. Distinguished nationally by one of the highest graduation rates among all U.S. master鈥檚 universities, California鈥檚 oldest operating higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. For more information, see .