Artoo App: Teaching Art to Children Through Play

Artoo is a new Italian app designed to teach contemporary art to children through an interactive, playful approach. Developed by Alchemilla, a cooperative based in Gallarate, Varese, the app features a shy bear named Artoo who lives in a museum attic and collects children's thoughts about artworks. The app allows children to interact with works by Wassily Kandinsky, record their own commentary, and share it with others (with parental consent). A museum director character provides explanations of the artworks. The app is already available for download on major stores. This initiative follows pioneering Italian museum education efforts by Bruno Munari, who organized the first workshop at the Pinacoteca di Brera in 1977, and is inspired by international models like MoMA's educational apps. Alberto Ostini of Alchemilla noted that children's insights on contemporary art often mirror those of critics, differing only in language.