What is more fitting than a mobile tour app at a Telephone Museum? That is what the New Hampshire Telephone Museum (NHTM) staff thought when they embarked on this project.

Originally, museum visitors were provided the option of taking a guided tour or looking around on their own. Most people opted for the tour, but there are those who prefer to go at their own pace.

“We noticed that, despite the amount of signage, people who opted out of the guided tour were not spending as much time at the museum as those who took the tour,” says Executive Director Laura French. “The mobile tour app provides a good compromise by enabling people to go at their own pace and enjoy a richer experience.”

The staff is hoping it will be a useful tool for them as well. “Right now, we have days where we have more visitors than our small staff can handle – which is a good thing – and this app will help alleviate some of the stress on the docents trying to juggle multiple tours.”

Phase 2 of the app is currently in production and will provide the opportunity to purchase museum tickets, make donations, and purchase gift shop items online.

Work on the app began in December 2015 with a company called ActionShow located in Barrington, Rhode Island. Jamie Murray, a Warner resident who has a career in television and broadcasting, provided the narration.

The free app is available from the app store for both Apple and Android devices. The entire project was underwritten by Upton and Hatfield, Attorneys at Law, with offices in Hillsborough, Concord, and Portsmouth.

“When we learned about the ActionShow app, we didn’t have to think twice. What better way to learn the history of the telephone than on your telephone?” says French.