The artwork talks. Your museum decides what it says.
Turn artworks and historical figures into AI-powered Digital Humans that visitors talk to in real time, in 32+ languages, using content your museum has approved. Runs on-premise and offline when you need it to.
Talking Paintings does not replace your labels, tours or education programme. It adds a conversational layer that makes collections more interactive, accessible and memorable.
An AI museum experience about the risks of AI.
In December 2025, the museum opened two AI islands within its permanent exhibition. One explores what AI can get wrong, from biased training data to misinformation and its impact on public debate.
Alan Turing gives visitors a conversational way to explore these topics, while the museum remains in control of the knowledge and content behind every answer.
Today: one of the most popular offerings in the permanent exhibition and shortlisted for the DigAMus Award 2026.
Read the Turing case studyWhat our clients say
When I first discovered Talking Paintings at a museum technology trade fair, I was immediately impressed. I thought something like this would be a fantastic addition to Schloss Esterházy in Eisenstadt.
Today, the composer Joseph Haydn, who worked here for 40 years, speaks directly to our visitors, and Prince Esterházy also shares the story of his eventful life with our guests.
With these digital paintings, we have taken another step towards contemporary museum communication. We sincerely thank videoreality for the great cooperation and, above all, for the uncomplicated, professional project implementation.
Guided storytelling, or open conversation.
Talking Paintings LiteGuided, pre-produced storytelling
A curated narrative path for visitors who want a reliable, polished story told exactly the way your museum intends.
Explore Talking Paintings Lite
Talking Paintings AIOpen conversations with visitors
Real-time, unscripted dialogue: visitors ask their own questions and the character answers from your approved knowledge base.
Explore Talking Paintings AI
Talking Paintings RentalTest before you purchase
Introduce Talking Paintings to your museum through a flexible rental and test the experience with real visitors before deciding on a permanent installation.
Request Rental PricingEngagement, education, funding and visibility from the collection you already have.
Increase visitor engagement
Give visitors new reasons to explore and return by adding fresh stories and knowledge to your existing collection.
Support museum goals
Build your project around an established digital format that supports innovation, education, accessibility and audience development goals.
Create more visibility
Generate opportunities for press, awards and public attention around your museum and its exhibitions.
Reach more audiences
Engage school groups and international visitors in more than 32 languages without separate guides, apps or tours.
Watch Mercury come to life at IPAI Heilbronn.
Where museums use Talking Paintings
Collection highlights
Give key objects a stronger interpretive anchor through character-led stories, context and conversation.
Special exhibitions
Integrate interactive storytelling into the exhibition concept to bring selected themes, objects or perspectives to life.
Education and school visits
Turn learning into exploration as students ask their own questions and receive age-appropriate answers.
Family programmes
Combine learning and entertainment to make complex themes engaging and accessible for younger visitors.
Historical storytelling
Let historical figures open a window into their life and era while connecting their stories directly to the exhibition.
International visitors
Make educational content accessible in multiple languages without creating separate materials for each audience.
Artists and cultural figures
Bring artistic perspectives and biographies to life through characters grounded in approved sources and curatorial content.
Visitor centres and lobbies
Introduce key themes, provide orientation and prepare visitors for what they are about to discover.
Museum marketing
Extend selected exhibition stories beyond the museum with memorable character moments made to be shared.
A personal way to explore
Your visitors experience your museum differently. Some read, some listen, and others want to ask their own questions. With Talking Paintings they speak directly with an artist, historical figure or expert connected to your collection.
What visitors experience
- 01A clear invitation shows visitors how to start.
- 02The character welcomes them.
- 03They speak (push-to-talk) or type a question.
- 04The character answers based on approved museum content.
- 05They ask a follow-up, or move to another topic.
You stay in control
You decide what your character knows and how it communicates: approved sources, topics, tone, personality, language level, age-specific content, sensitive subjects, and how it handles questions outside its knowledge. After launch, your team updates knowledge in the Character Editor.
Use it for
Every department gets what it needs.
Museum leadership
A visible, curated visitor experience, a strong public story, a new way into selected objects, and a format that supports funding, press work, partnerships and audience development.
Curatorial team
Control over sources, tone, knowledge boundaries and sensitive topics, with content approval before publication.
Education and outreach
Age-appropriate explanations, use with school groups, child-friendly answers and a dialogue format that invites questions.
IT and data protection
On-premise (offline) or hybrid (online) operation, documented data flows, visitor text not stored by default, and cameras only if you want them.
Exhibition design
Framed displays, kiosks, plinths, push-to-talk buttons, signage and audio planning, integrated into visitor flow.
Communications and marketing
A clear campaign message: visitors can talk in real time with an artwork, an artist or a historical figure.
© Schloss EsterházyStart small. Fit your space.
Flexible setup
Choose a framed display, kiosk, plinth, projection or custom installation to fit your space and technical needs.
Start small
Begin with one character, one knowledge base and one location, then expand once you have seen how visitors use it.
In the news
Click any logo to read or watch the original coverage.
Real characters, real institutions.
Alan Turing
Museum für Kommunikation Frankfurt. Shortlisted for the DigAMus Award 2026.
Read the Case Study →
Joseph Haydn
Schloss Esterházy and Burg Forchtenstein. A Talking Paintings Lite character.
Read the Case Study →
Prince Esterházy
Schloss Esterházy, Eisenstadt. Shares his own family history with visitors today.
Read the Case Study →
Vincent van Gogh
Created for “Vincent: Between Madness & Wonder” by Alegria Exhibition.
Read the Case Study →
Alfred for MERCK
A Digital Human brand host. Created once and used in Darmstadt and South Korea.
Read the Case Study →
Can our museum control what the character says?
Yes. Your team defines the approved sources, topics, tone, language level and restricted subjects, plus the exact fallback for anything outside scope. Nothing goes live without your approval, and the character never learns from visitors.
Can Talking Paintings use our existing museum content?
Yes. Exhibition texts, catalogues, archives, research, education material and collection data can all go into the approved knowledge base.
Is it suitable for children and school groups?
Yes. Answers can be adapted to age groups and language levels, and education teams can shape the character for school programmes.
How many languages does it support, and do we need cameras?
Talking Paintings AI supports more than 32 languages. Cameras are optional; push-to-talk, voice and text work without one.
Can it run on-premise, and how does that help with GDPR?
Yes. With an on-premise setup, processing stays on hardware in your building and the system runs offline. Visitor text is not stored by default. Your final GDPR assessment depends on your configuration, and we provide documentation for it.
How do we start?
Most museums start with one character, one knowledge base and one location. Book a demo, or rent a ready-made character to test with real visitors first.
Bring one story to life.
Tell us which artwork, character or exhibition you have in mind. We will help you find the right format for your space.