MuralBase

The MuralBase application is a comprehensive online database of Philadelphia’s large collection of murals, enabling users to find information and view photos of murals based on location, theme or artist.

Client: Mural Arts Program; Cartographic Modeling Lab, University of Pennsylvania

Challenge: Philadelphia is home to over 2,500 murals and is widely considered to be the “Mural Capital of the World.” Prior to the development of this project, there was no easy way for Philadelphians or visitors to find information on the murals that grace the walls of all city neighborhoods.

Solution: Avencia created MuralBase in 2002 as part of the Cartographic Modeling Lab’s Neighborhood Information System. MuralBase is a web-based tool that enables users to search for and map murals based on geography, year, theme or artist, providing background data, photographs, artists’ biographies, and links to other projects done by the same artist.

Outcomes: Users can use MuralBase to create and print customized maps that display murals in relation to Philadelphia parks, schools and other local landmarks. MuralBase’s query and mapping tools make it possible to discover the thematic, artistic, and geographic diversity of the city’s large inventory of murals. Avencia extended the database in 2006 to enable the Mural Arts Program to perform a series of citizen surveys in order to assess the impact of the murals on local communities.

Quote: “An interactive database showcasing hundreds of murals produced by Philadelphia's Mural Arts Program since 1990, [MuralBase] gives our users a friendly interface to explore the thousands of murals in Philadelphia, one sign of the continuing revitalization of the City of Philadelphia.” – Marlen Kokaz

Website: http://cml.upenn.edu/murals/