The Met And Verizon Partner To Draw Young People Into Centuries Of Art With Clever Roblox Avatar Attire

A Roman warrior receiving a tribute of arms from two kneeling women adorns the breast, while Apollo chases the nymph Daphne on the front shoulders, and Apollo poses with the slain monster Python on the back shoulders. The crescent moon, a badge of Henry II, who reigned from 1547 to 1559, reappears on of one of the most elaborate and complete French parade armors that retains much of its original coloring.

The king’s armor, on view in Gallery 374 of The Met Fifth Avenue, marches his way into 2023 as a playful, shorter, stocky character whose armor can be worn on Roblox.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, in partnership with Verizon, last Thursday launched an innovative and user-friendly way for children and young adults to experience the collections of the nation’s largest museum.

The free Replica app for iOS and Android devices enables visitors at The Met to scan 37 artworks from nine curatorial areas, including the American Wing, Egyptian Art, European Paintings, and Asian Art. The wide range of highlights include a 14th-century Japanese suit of armor and the straw hat worn in Vincent van Gogh’s 1887 self-portrait. Users can scan a work of art to collect free wearable, digital artworks for their Roblox avatars.

Last Thursday evening my 13-year-old son Michael, a frequent participant in the global art world, joined fellow youth in traversing ancient Egypt, guided by the app which helps to identify and describe objects of artistic, historical, and cultural importance.

“It’s a cool idea,” said Michael, who frequently visits museums, galleries, and art fairs around the world, prefers to use the app to explore the history of artworks, but knows some friends who will delight in the free and unique Roblox.

Michael said he has been interested in ancient Egypt since he was four years old. He used the app to identify all seven objects of Egyptian Art featured on the app.

“It’s fascinating and I like learning about ancient civilizations and discovering previously unknown or forgotten things,” he said.

Michael delighted in information about Hippopotamus (William) from the Middle Kingdom (circa 1961–1878 B.C.), a statuette molded in faience, a ceramic material made of ground quartz and adorned with blue glaze and lotuses which symbolize regeneration and rebirth as they close at night and open in the morning.

The cute depiction on view in Gallery 136 is deceptive, as ancient Egyptians considered the hippopotamus to be one of the most dangerous animals in their world. Michael was intrigued to learn that the hippo’s English nickname first appeared in a 1931 story published in the British humor magazine Punch.

Encouraging young people to visit museums is essential to sustaining any semblance of humanity in a culture ravaged by the divorce of arts and sciences. While Michael considers visiting a museum an immersive experience by engaging with the works through viewing, some of his peers may be lost without a virtual guide, and connecting antiquity with a popular online game platform is a clever way to draw others into art history.

There’s no denying that art improves the quality of our lives in myriad ways. Neuroscientists have determined that both making and experiencing art enhances brain function by impacting brain wave patterns, emotions, and the nervous system, and may boost serotonin levels.

Enjoying a vast array of art is easy for New Yorkers, who have access to 24-hour public transportation and free admission to museums. However, for many folks, museums, galleries, auction houses, art fairs, and other events may seem intimidating. Having a free app to guide you at your own pace is a low pressure way to navigate your own cultural journey.