Free & Open Source · AGPL-3.0

Audio guides for your museum.
No fees. No app. No fuss.

Augus is a self-hosted audio guide system that lets visitors scan a QR code and instantly hear narrated audio, view galleries, and navigate your exhibition — all in their mobile browser. No subscriptions, no per-visitor costs, your data on your server.

Free forever No subscriptions, ever
18+ languages UI translations built in
Zero installs Works in any mobile browser
Single binary PocketBase backend

Everything a museum needs.
Nothing it doesn't.

Commercial audio guide services charge per visitor or per month. Augus is self-hosted and free — you only pay for your server.

Free and self-hosted

No per-visitor fees, no monthly bills. Deploy on your own server or a $5/month VPS and keep full control of your content and visitor data.

No app download required

Visitors scan a QR code with their camera and the guide opens in their browser. Nothing to install, no account needed, works on any device.

Easy content management

A clean admin panel lets museum staff upload audio, manage images, create exhibitions, and publish changes — no technical knowledge required.

Multi-language support

Serve any number of languages per exhibition. UI translations for 18+ languages are built in — including Swedish national minority languages.

Accessible by design

WCAG 2.1 AA compliant. Full screen reader support, large font option, high contrast, and lock-screen audio controls for background listening.

Lightweight & Docker-ready

Built on PocketBase — a single Go binary. Docker-ready with a one-command deploy. Runs comfortably on minimal infrastructure.

Rich media, every format.

From narrated audio to 3D models with AR, Augus handles the media types your exhibitions need.

Narrated Audio
Image Gallery
360° Panoramas
3D Models + AR
Video + Subtitles
GPS-triggered Audio

QR Code Scanning

Built-in scanner plus direct URL — visitors choose how to open an exhibit.

Synced Subtitles

WebVTT subtitles scroll in sync with the audio — great for noisy spaces.

Indoor Floor Maps

Multi-floor maps with numbered pins. Tap a pin to jump straight to that exhibit.

Sequential Navigation

Previous/next controls for guided tours, or free-roam mode for self-directed visits.

GPS Auto-play

Outdoor mode triggers audio automatically when visitors approach an object.

Multi-exhibition

Run multiple exhibitions from one instance. Each can have its own branding and languages.

Customizable Branding

Colors, fonts, and "Powered by Augus" branding are all configurable per exhibition.

Lock-screen Controls

Audio plays in the background with standard media controls on the lock screen.

Up and running in three steps.

From empty server to live audio guide in an afternoon.

1

Deploy & upload your content

Run Augus on your own server with Docker or a single binary. Then use the admin panel to create your exhibition: add exhibits, upload audio files, images, and subtitles. No coding needed.

2

Print QR codes

Augus generates a unique QR code for each exhibit. Print them and attach them to your labels, plinths, or wall panels — just like a barcode on a price tag.

3

Visitors scan and listen

Visitors point their phone camera at the QR code. The guide opens instantly in their browser — audio plays, subtitles scroll, images appear. No download, no login, no fuss.

See it in action

Try the live demo exhibition to experience Augus exactly as your visitors will — on your phone, in your browser, right now.

Best viewed on a mobile device — but works on desktop too.

Your server. Your data.

Augus is built on PocketBase — a single Go binary that handles the database, file storage, and API. Deploy it with Docker in minutes, or run the binary directly. Scales comfortably on a $5/month VPS.

Full setup instructions, Docker Compose files, and configuration reference are in the GitHub repository. Community support is available via GitHub Issues.

Read the setup guide on GitHub
# Option 1 — Docker (recommended)
 
docker run -d \
--name augus \
-p 8090:8090 \
-v augus_data:/pb/pb_data \
ghcr.io/nielsswinkels/augus:latest
 
# Option 2 — Single binary
 
./augus serve \
--http "0.0.0.0:8090"
 
# Then open: http://localhost:8090/_/
# to set up your first admin account.