AI-powered, multilingual audio guides are transforming museum experiences

For years, museums have relied on traditional audio guides, docents, and printed brochures to engage their visitors. But today’s audiences—especially younger and international visitors—expect something more immersive, intuitive, and accessible.

Enter the next generation of museum tours: GPS-guided, AI-powered voice narration in multiple languages.

At the intersection of accessibility, innovation, and personalization lies a powerful opportunity for museums to modernize the guest experience—and platforms like Sulu are making it easier than ever.

The Future of Museum Tours: AI Voice Guides in Any Language

Why Traditional Museum Tours Are Falling Short

Conventional audio guides require bulky hardware, limited language options, and often come with logistical headaches like maintenance, sanitation, and distribution. Printed signage can only convey so much and doesn’t serve international guests or those with visual impairments. Meanwhile, visitors are increasingly using smartphones to navigate and learn—yet many museums still don’t offer digital-first solutions.

This gap presents a major opportunity.

What Is an AI Voice Guide?

An AI voice guide is a digital solution that allows museums to offer narrated audio tours directly through a visitor’s mobile device—no clunky headsets or kiosks required. With platforms like Sulu, museum staff can easily upload a narrative for each exhibit or point of interest, and the app will convert it into a professional-quality AI voiceover in the language of the visitor’s choice.

When the visitor approaches a specific location, the app triggers the relevant audio segment using GPS or Bluetooth. It's seamless, multilingual, and highly scalable.

How Sulu Is Helping Museums Lead the Change

Sulu is a platform built to empower cultural institutions to create their own AI-powered, GPS-guided audio tours. Here's how it works:

1. Create a Route:

Choose your points of interest (exhibits, gallery entrances, outdoor features, etc.) and create a route with Sulu's  easy-to-use CMS.

2. Add Narratives:

For each point of interest, staff or curators input a narrative—either historical context, artist info, or behind-the-scenes stories.

3. Let AI Do the Rest:

Sulu generates a natural-sounding voice narration using AI voice actors and instantly translates the experience into multiple languages. As visitors reach each point of interest, the information you added to the CMS will automatically play.

4. Visitors Use Their Phones:

Guests simply download the Sulu app, enter a code, and begin their tour—guided automatically as they walk.

This frictionless experience allows museums to:

• Offer multilingual museum tours without hiring interpreters or guides
• Enhance accessibility for museum guests with visual impairment or non-native speakers
• Cut costs on outdated audio guide equipment
• Enable contactless, self-guided experiences perfect for post-COVID visitation models

Multilingual Accessibility: A Game Changer

For international museums or those in tourist-heavy regions, the ability to instantly offer a tour in any major language is a major advantage. Sulu supports AI narration in  20+ languages, ensuring that all visitors—regardless of their native tongue—feel welcomed and included.

This opens new doors for institutions focused on DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility), offering a more inclusive experience for all.

A Win for Visitors, A Win for Museums

By modernizing their audio tour system, museums can:

• Boost visitor satisfaction
• Increase engagement time at exhibits
• Improve educational impact
• Create new monetization opportunities, including premium tour experiences or paid downloadable content

And since the entire tour experience is hosted in the cloud, museums can update, expand, and adapt their narratives on the fly—no tech staff required.

Ready to Bring Your Museum Into the Future?

AI voice guides aren’t just a trend—they’re the future of museum tours. With Sulu’s easy-to-use platform, museums of any size can build engaging, multilingual, mobile-first experiences that resonate with today’s digital audience.

Want to learn more about how Sulu can work for you? Explore the platform here.