Audioguide.London is a free audio guide for The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House. Point your phone's camera at a painting and listen to an audio commentary in your language. No rental desk and no app download required.
Entry to The Courtauld Gallery itself is a paid ticket, but Audioguide.London is completely free to use once you're inside, covering the gallery's paintings on display in 6 languages.
Here's how Audioguide.London compares to the Courtauld's own digital guide and other museum apps.
| Audioguide.London (free) | Courtauld digital guide (Bloomberg Connects) | Other museum apps | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free, but requires the gallery's paid admission ticket | Often £4-£8, or free with no audio |
| Paintings covered | Point your camera at any painting on display | Curator commentary, room by room | Usually under 100 |
| Languages | 6: English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin | Not specified by the gallery | Varies, often English only |
| How it works | Take a photo of any painting | Download a separate app, browse by room | Browse a list or map in the app |
Because Audioguide.London uses image recognition and AI-generated narration, it isn't limited to a fixed list of highlights. Stand in front of almost any painting on display at The Courtauld Gallery, from Manet's A Bar at the Folies-Bergère to lesser-known works, and the app can identify it and play a commentary.
Listen to commentary in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese or Mandarin Chinese. Switch languages at any time from within the app.
Yes. Audioguide.London is a free audio guide that works at The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House. There is no fee, no rental desk and no account needed, though the gallery itself charges an admission ticket to enter.
The Courtauld offers a free digital guide through the Bloomberg Connects app, with curator commentary by room. Audioguide.London is a free alternative that works by simply taking a photo of any painting, in 6 languages.
No. Unlike The National Gallery or Tate, The Courtauld Gallery charges an admission ticket for its permanent collection. Audioguide.London is free to use once you're inside.
No. Audioguide.London runs in your phone's browser, so there is nothing to install. Just open the site, take a photo of a painting, and listen.