Microsoft Art Gallery is a 1993 educational and interactive guide for the London National Gallery published by Microsoft.
The software was originally developed by Cognitive Applications in the UK in 1991 as a multimedia learning tool for use in Britain's National Gallery.[1] Originally called "Micro Gallery", Microsoft released a digitised version entitled Microsoft Art Gallery.[2] The software went on sale in Britain in October 1993, and was released in Australia later that year.[3]
The title allows players to explore various works of art in an interactive and multimedia way. It features the work of the national Gallery of London.[4] The title contains schema links, allowing the player to explore related content in a seamless way.[5]
PC Mag thought the software was "stylishly designed and carefully presented",[6] further praising its elegant and easily navigable interface.[7] When comparing art titles, The New York Times felt the title would appeal to those with "more Catholic taste",[8] and praised its "authoritative professionalism" as standing out from other titles in the genre.[2] The paper Hypermedia Design, Analysis, and Evaluation Issues deemed the title an "outstanding" and "enjoyable" application.[5] Art historian James Moore who reviewed the CD-ROM late in 2001 felt the software was primitive from a 2001 perspective.[9] PC World thought that lovers of art would be able to easily sink hours into the title.[10]