Smartify turns 10 in 2026: a decade of working with museums, galleries and heritage destinations to reimagine how people experience arts and culture through technology.

Traditionally, the 10-year milestone is marked with tin, a material valued for its strength and flexibility. It feels fitting in our case. We've grown by staying adaptable: responding to new visitor expectations, evolving technology and the changing needs of cultural organisations around the world.

And while we're marking a milestone, we're celebrating much more than a birthday.

Over the last decade, Smartify has grown from a small team with a big idea into a global platform supporting culture at scale

Ten years in numbers

Over the last decade, Smartify has grown from a small team with a big idea into a global platform supporting culture at scale:

• Over six million users across dozens of countries

• Over two million objects accessible through the platform

• A global team of over 30 people, working across London, Glasgow, Paris, Lisbon, Barcelona, Athens and Rio de Janeiro

• 700+ cultural partners, from local museums to world-leading institutions

From three people in 2016 to a truly international organisation today, the journey has been shaped by collaboration with the arts sector at every step.

Built with the sector, for the sector

From day one, Smartify has believed that great technology should elevate great storytelling. Over the years, our platform has evolved – but that guiding principle hasn't changed.

What began as a simple way to explore art on your phone has grown into a robust digital infrastructure powering visitor experiences for the world's largest institutions, including the National Gallery, the Louvre, the Smithsonian and the Acropolis Museum. Last year alone, there more than 42 million visitors to places with Smartify-powered experiences.

Our Smartify Studio creative team works side-by-side with partners to deliver editorially strong, inclusive and brand-led experiences, while ensuring organisations retain full control of their voice, content and data.

The results speak for themselves: our audio-guide engagement increased by 425% in the last 12 months, with 93.7% visitor satisfaction across partner sites.

Looking ahead

Launching into our next decade, our focus is sharper than ever. We're continuing to invest in the areas where we see the strongest long-term value for the sector. Our platform now brings together:

• Hybrid BYOD and device-based solutions

• Immersive XR experiences and WebXR storytelling, with no downloads required

• Accessibility-first tools, such as instant translation in 52 languages, text-to-voice and voice-to-text for global and neurodiverse audiences

• AI-driven personalisation and intelligent itineraries that meaningfully improves engagement

• Security and trust with our rigorous ISO 27001 certification

This focus positions Smartify not as a short-term supplier, but as a long-term digital partner for cultural organisations navigating what comes next.

Thank you for being part of the Smartify journey – past, present and future. We can't wait for another 10 years of doing what we do best: making culture more accessible, engaging and connected!