PublicArtExplorer

Discover Public Art, Anywhere

PublicArtExplorer helps you identify public artworks in your surroundings or explore public art anywhere in the world. Browse sculptures, murals, installations, and other works directly on the map, view detailed information about each piece, and learn more about the artists and the context behind the art. Whether you are out walking, traveling, or researching from home, the app makes public art visible, accessible, and easy to explore.

Project website

Goals

Primary Goals

Make public art more accessible.
Support planned art excursions: “We’re going to the sculpture field…”
Encourage spontaneous exploration: “What’s nearby? What is this object in front of me?”

Secondary Goals

Increase the visibility of the non-profit projects OpenStreetMap and Wikipedia.
Improve the quantity and quality of data in OpenStreetMap and Wikipedia.
Clearly show where the data comes from and highlight the value of public data compared to closed systems like Google Maps.
Encourage users of the PublicArtExplorer app to contribute missing information to OpenStreetMap and Wikipedia.

PublicArtExplorer Fediverse feed

Didn’t want to wait much longer, so here you go, #PublicArtExplorer v2.0.0 is available as of now.
New
```
- Support for app specific language
- Significant redesign for node upload. Separate OSM/Wikidata updates from node changes
- First release to contain my Google developer id to make sure you can still install #PublicArtExplorer after the horrible Google developer registration requirement is enforced. https://keepandroidopen.org/
```
Fixed/Changed
Lots of smaller changes which you can read up here: https://codeberg.org/toz/PublicArtExplorer/src/branch/main/ChangeLog.md
As always, get it from…
- Me/Codeberg: https://codeberg.org/toz/PublicArtExplorer/releases
- IzziOnDroid: https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/apk/com.zell_mbc.publicartexplorer.foss
- F-Droid: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.zell_mbc.publicartexplorer.foss/
- GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zell_mbc.publicartexplorer.play
#PublicArt #OutdoorArt
Tooted on Thursday, 28 May 2026 20:59
It's been quiet for some time but here you go, let me introduce v2.0 Beta of #PublicArtExplorer.
The main change to the previous release is a complete overhaul of adding/changing artwork data. You can now collect position, images and whaever is easily accessible as you go (when you got little time) and complete the rest and upload whenever you got a quiet moment.
No more need to look up #OpenStreetMap or #Wikipedia logon details and potentially missing information, when all you want to do is to quickly capture a new artwork.
Aside from this, there are lots of little UI improvements all over the place, but most of them in "Expert mode" area.
This release is also the first release which will contain my Google developer id to make sure you can still install #PublicArtExplorer after the horrible Google developer registration requirement is enforced. https://keepandroidopen.org/

Let me know if you are interested in testing and I will send you a link to the apk.
#PublicArt #OutdoorArt

Tooted on Wednesday, 27 May 2026 16:56
And once again a new release of #PublicArtExplorer. Version 1.5.0 fixes an annyoing bug which showed after the Artwork server did not respond in time as well as a few other minor annoyances.
New is support for up to 5 images from Wikimedia categories and an indicator which shows when the device is offline and hence the app can't function.

As always, get it from…
- Me (via e.g. Obtanium): Codeberg: https://codeberg.org/toz/PublicArtExplorer/releases
- IzziOnDroid: https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/apk/com.zell_mbc.publicartexplorer.foss
- F-Droid: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.zell_mbc.publicartexplorer.foss/ (It may take a couple of days before this version becomes available)
- GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zell_mbc.publicartexplorer.play

Full change Log: https://codeberg.org/toz/PublicArtExplorer/src/branch/main/ChangeLog.md

#PublicArt #OutdoorArt

Tooted on Monday, 17 November 2025 08:51
Here's v1.4.6 of #PublicArtExplorer. A bugfix release which solves the 2 bugs below:
- New artwork nodes didn't show with correct icon
- Editing right after a new artwork was created led to multiple OSM entries

As always, get it from…
- Me (via e.g. Obtanium): Codeberg: https://codeberg.org/toz/PublicArtExplorer/releases
- IzziOnDroid: https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/apk/com.zell_mbc.publicartexplorer.foss
- F-Droid: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.zell_mbc.publicartexplorer.foss/ (It may take a couple of days before this version becomes available)
- GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zell_mbc.publicartexplorer.play

Full change Log: https://codeberg.org/toz/PublicArtExplorer/src/branch/main/ChangeLog.md

Tooted on Sunday, 02 November 2025 11:22
Yet another big release: #PublicArtExplorer v.1.4.5 supports MapBox (GooglePlay flavour) and allows to upload images to Wikidata Commons

Get it from…
- Me (via e.g. Obtanium): Codeberg: https://codeberg.org/toz/PublicArtExplorer/releases
- IzziOnDroid: https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/apk/com.zell_mbc.publicartexplorer.foss
- F-Droid: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.zell_mbc.publicartexplorer.foss/ (It may take a couple of days before this version becomes available)
- GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zell_mbc.medilog.play

Full change Log: https://codeberg.org/toz/PublicArtExplorer/src/branch/main/ChangeLog.md

Tooted on Sunday, 26 October 2025 16:40