Look beyond a title
Search an artist, subject, material or culture. The catalogue joins discoverable metadata while keeping the museum identity on each work.
A free art and culture utility
Art & Museum
Explorer
Find a work. Follow its artist. Read its collection record. An ad-free way to explore open museum metadata through VISINVOKE.
Free with a VISINVOKE accountRecords only. Artwork photographs are not included.
Great collections, clearly catalogued
Begin with a question about a work.
Art & Museum Explorer connects search, artwork details and artist pages in a records-first experience for Windows and Android.
Bring the facts together
Read the available date, medium, dimensions and classification without treating a missing field as a known fact.
Follow a creative connection
Move from a work to its linked artists, then read other works and their collections. Artist names are joined by normalised display name.
Keep source context
Each work retains its collection attribution. Review the record and its source when exploring the published facts.
An object and its context
Read the record behind the work.
The illustration shows a fictional object beside study cards. It represents reading collection facts, rather than an application screen.
The record view brings together available medium, dimensions, dates and collection details. Source attribution stays with the record.
A journey through the catalogue
Search. Narrow. Read. Compare.
The records-first workflow keeps discovery and context together.
01 · Start with a subject
Search with at least two characters, or choose a collection filter to browse without a search phrase.
02 · Narrow your view
Choose a museum, classification or century. Use the Met public-domain flag when that distinction is useful.
03 · Open a collection record
Read published facts, artist roles, tags and attribution. The museum page address is shown as text in the record.
04 · Compare or return later
Select two to four works for comparison. Keep useful records in device-local favourites and revisit recently viewed works.
Your collection discovery tools
Collection facts in a connected reading experience.
Search collection records, follow artists and compare the published facts.
Search artworks and artists
The explorer searches collection titles, artist names, materials, cultures, places and tags in the VISINVOKE-hosted catalogue.
Filter the collection
Narrow a search by museum, object classification or century, including BCE dates. The public-domain filter uses the recorded Met flag.
Read the published facts
Artwork records show available dates, medium, dimensions, culture, credit line and other collection facts, with the museum source retained.
Follow an artist
Artist pages bring together linked works, recorded life dates and nationality, plus a breakdown of works by museum.
Begin with highlights
Browse works marked as collection highlights by The Met, then open a record to read its context.
Compare two to four works
Line up selected records by artist, museum and the facts available for each work. An empty comparison cell stays empty.
Keep favourites on your device
Favourites and recently viewed works are device-local lists. They are designed for returning to records, without account synchronisation.
Use guidance beside the records
Start Here introduces search, filters, artwork records and highlights. Help explains dates, sources, rights and why this version has no artwork images.
Different starting points
Browse by a question or a collection.
The catalogue supports several ways into the same published records.
Artist and subject
Find linked works through artist names, titles and subjects. Read the artist page alongside its collection context.
Object and material
Browse classifications or search a material. A vessel, armour record or print can lead to a different part of the collection.
Time and culture
Use a century filter, including BCE periods, or search cultural context. Original date wording stays visible in artwork facts.
Museum and highlights
Choose The Met or an included Smithsonian art collection. Highlights use the Met’s published collection flag.
Records first
Understand the work through its facts.
This fictional gallery illustration expresses the subject of the explorer. The application itself uses designed placeholder tiles.
Artwork photographs are not shown in this version. Metadata rights and image rights are separate. Review the source and rights for any photograph you want to use.
Keep the collection in view
Compare without filling the gaps.
The comparison lines up the information each museum actually recorded.
Choose two to four works
Keep the selection small enough to compare. Each selected work retains its museum and artist context.
Read matching facts together
Compare dates, media and other available facts by label. An absent value is left blank rather than filled by inference.
Follow the artist
Open an artist to read recorded life dates, nationality and linked works. A shared display name is not independent identity verification.
Return to a useful record
Favourites and recent works give you local ways back. They are separate from a personal collection catalogue or a research archive.
Sources and rights
Open metadata, with clear limits.
Collection data: The Met Open Access and Smithsonian Open Access (CC0), served by VISINVOKE.
Museum attribution stays attached
Each artwork record keeps its source and museum. VISINVOKE hosts the selected catalogue; it does not imply museum endorsement.
A version of published information
The catalogue is a VISINVOKE-hosted copy. Collection documentation can change or be incomplete; this is not a real-time museum service.
Metadata is separate from imagery
The Met metadata dataset excludes images. Smithsonian imports are limited to records marked CC0; photographs need their own reuse evidence.
Local preferences and limited cache
Favourites and recent works remain on this device. Previously cached records can support limited offline reading; there is no full offline collection download.
Free access
Free with a VISINVOKE account.
Art & Museum Explorer is a full standalone free informational utility for Windows and Android.
Free with your VISINVOKE account
No paid tier or separate product subscription is assigned to this utility. A free VISINVOKE account is your access route.
Records and source context
Explore open museum metadata with collection attribution, available facts and clear information limits.
Windows and Android
Explore the utility through Desktop Command Centre on Windows and VISINVOKE on Android.
Related products have their own access
Image systems and other tools keep their own terms and availability. Museum metadata access does not include paid image creation or grant image rights.
A free informational utility
The application brings open museum records into the VISINVOKE free offering.
Context beside discovery
Read artwork facts, artist information and collection identity together.
Limits explained in the experience
Help covers dates, sources, public-domain flags and records-only presentation.
Explore through VISINVOKE
Use your free VISINVOKE account to explore records and the wider collection of tools.
Explore other VISINVOKE tools
Separate tools for your wider interests.
Each card opens that product’s own website. Review its purpose, availability and access independently.
Desktop Command Centre
Manage access to VISINVOKE products through your account.
File Converter
Convert supported files locally on Windows.
Image Toolkit
Work with images using a separate focused utility.
Backup Utility
Plan local backups for your own files.
Professional Image System
Explore a separate commercial image-creation product.
D&D Image System
Explore a separate fantasy image-creation product.
Editorial art is fictional illustration, not application screens, museum-supplied artwork or photographs displayed by the explorer. Related products do not promise automatic transfers or included access.
Quick answers
Access, records and rights.
Understand the explorer, its collection data and the rights attached to that information.
What is Art & Museum Explorer?
Art & Museum Explorer is a free records-only art and culture utility for Windows and Android. Explore collection records, follow artists and compare published facts through VISINVOKE.
What does access cost?
Art & Museum Explorer is free with a VISINVOKE account: a full standalone informational utility with no paid tier or separate product subscription. Related products have their own access arrangements.
Does the application show artwork photographs?
This version is records only. It uses designed placeholder tiles, not artwork photographs. Images on this website are fictional editorial illustrations, not application screens or museum collection images. Metadata rights and photograph reuse rights are separate.
Where do the records come from?
The catalogue is built from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Open Access and approved Smithsonian Open Access metadata. CC0 metadata is selected and hosted by VISINVOKE. A record keeps its collection attribution; the application does not contact museum services while you browse.
What does the public-domain flag mean?
The flag follows the Met record. Smithsonian records in this version leave that field unknown. A metadata licence or record flag does not grant rights to every photograph or use of an artwork. Follow the original source and the relevant image rights.
Are favourites available on another device?
Favourites and recent records are kept on the device where you use the application. They do not synchronise between computers or with Android. Limited offline access is designed for previously cached records; it does not download an entire museum collection.
Continue in VISINVOKE
Your account. Your collection of tools.
Create a free VISINVOKE account to explore the wider offering. Desktop Command Centre is available through your account installer page.
Explore Art & Museum Explorer through VISINVOKE on Windows and Android.