Best way to make "podcast" available to museum visitors???

[Leslie Lawner]

I have had several of my middle school students create audio files describing several of their favorite pieces of art in a local contemporary art museum which the museum would like to turn into an audio tour. We have a separate file for each work of art that would be on the tour. We recorded them on a digital recorder (Olympus, I think, recommended by Gail D--thanks!).

I am only a techie-in-training, and I would love some advice as to how to make these files usable for kids visiting the museum. Can we have them download to an I-Pod or MP3 player or their cell phones. Should we purchase a few I-Pods and lend them to visitors? Any ideas?

Thanks!

Leslie Lawner

[Kevin H.]

Good question -- we did a similar museum podcast project last year, but not at a museum. We hung the art and then set up laptops with headphones during another school event. We added podcasts to Photostory3 to create projects like this:

Migrant Mother from Mr. Hodgson on Vimeo.

As to your question, I might suggest purchasing some cheap-o MP3 players instead of expensive Ipods. But the advantage is that the museum narratives become portable for folks.
As for cell phones, not sure. Anyone have ideas? That would make a lot of sense but I have no idea how you would go about making the files downloadable and compatible for all phones (must be a way, though).
Kevin

[Kevin H.]

Oooh
Woot has wicked cheap MP3 players on sale today

http://www.woot.com/

(I'll direct email you too)
Kevin

[Leslie Lawner]

Thanks! I will get with my museum contact and go forward.