"Art Links": The Met Museum's New Blockchain Puzzle Game Offers NFT Rewards
New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art is stepping into the world of blockchain with the launch of "Art Links," an innovative mobile game that blends art history with the thrill of collecting digital badges. The game, reminiscent of the New York Times' popular "Connections" game, challenges players to uncover connections between diverse artworks in the Met's collection, rewarding them with unique NFT badges and a chance to win real-world museum experiences.
Connecting the Dots: Unveiling Hidden Links in Art History
"My subversive goal is to get everyone to read more museum labels," joked Destinee Filmore, an assistant curator in the Met's modern and contemporary art department, during the launch event. Art Links encourages players to delve deeper into the museum's collection, identifying shared materials, themes, or historical links between 140 different artworks spanning various cultures and eras.
NFT Badges and Real-World Rewards: A New Way to Engage with Art
Each completed puzzle earns the player an NFT badge, with new challenges dropping every Thursday at 12:01 EST for the next 11 weeks. Accumulating these badges unlocks a range of rewards, from gift shop discounts to exclusive exhibition previews. The grand prize? A private, curator-led tour of the museum. Players can also earn up to seven achievements for completing specific in-game challenges, five of which are free, and two which are available for purchase.
A Collaboration with Blockchain Startup TRLabs
The project is a collaboration between the Met and TRLabs, a blockchain startup specializing in the art world. TRLabs has previously partnered with prestigious names like Vogue and the Calder Foundation.
Lessons from the NFT Boom: Prioritizing User Experience
MoonPay president Keith Grossman, also present at the launch, praised the initiative, crediting the growth of crypto in part to a "generational shift that's coinciding with the technological shift." He also shared lessons learned from his time running TIMEpieces during the initial NFT boom, emphasizing the importance of user experience. "In 2021, the technology led, and the user experience fell to the wayside," Grossman said. "At the end of the day, nobody cares about the NFT...they just want the experience."
The Met's Digital Future: Exploring AI and VR
While Met staff remained tight-lipped about future crypto-related projects, they hinted at potential experiments with AI tools and VR experiences in the coming year.