When One Interactive System is not Enough

The Art Institute of Chicago's pioneering development of public computer programs jump started with two fortuitous events. In 1987 the museum was asked to join a consortium of museum education directors from seven art museums whose main goal was to research and experiment with educational computer technology. Soon afterwards, the Art Institute became one of sixteen American institutions selected to receive an Apple Macintosh computer, Sony videodisc player and monitor from the Agnelli Foundation of Italy with a single requirement: that the equipment must be available in a public space with the Agnelli videodisc of Italianculture. Dr. Kent Lydecker, then executive director of museum education at the Art Institute, eagerly accepted both the consortium membership and equipment, envisioning that the proverbial cart and horse were, for once, arriving at the same time.