As someone charged with marketing BHS and our many awesome projects, programs and collections I often find myself weighing the most innovative and cost-effective options to spread the word about our work. Last night it came to me in a dream, (perhaps because of Julie’s  obsession with them) that creating a BHS iPhone app would certainly be the best way to introduce people to the Brooklyn Historical Society.

But then again, what would a BHS app do? Would people be able to look up their family genealogy with the touch of a screen? Or trace their house history by simply typing in the address? Would the app give people a virtual tour of our landmark building from the Minton Tiles to the iron trusses?  Perhaps the app would offer users a selection of oral histories or a behind the scenes tour of a new exhibit or give teachers an electronic curriculum kit on a variety of Brooklyn-centric topics. Come to think of it, maybe we’d need a few BHS apps.

Well, there are lots of reasons these things would not be realistic applications. It certainly would be a shame if people visited BHS only by way of their phones, they would not experience the full beauty and history of the building and would lose out on the experience of mining our collections for their research. Luckily, I know nothing about creating apps and of course, it was just a dream – but if you have any thoughts on a BHS app that would actually prove useful and engaging send ‘em our way!