NEW YORK, NY.- The Whitney Museum of American Art is partnering with Foursquare on a new custom badge. Foursquare, a location-based mobile platform in which users “check in” at venues using a smartphone app or SMS, allows users to share their location with friends while collecting points and virtual badges.

From February 8 through May 31, 2011, Foursquare users can unlock the Whitneyphile badge when they check in two times at the Whitney Museum of American Art (945 Madison at 75th Street) and once at one other location in the badge check-in list (see below). Foursquare users who unlock the Whitneyphile badge may present their smartphones at the front desk to receive $5 admission to the Museum. The badge holder may only redeem the offer once, and the offer is non-transferable.

The check-in locations relate to the history and future of the Whitney as well as its founder Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney and iconic American artist Edward Hopper. A complete list of check-in locations can be found on the Whitney’s Foursquare brand page: http://foursquare.com/whitneymuseum.

Check-in locations for the Whitneyphile badge:

• Former location of Whitney Museum founder Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney’s residence and studio (19 MacDougal Alley, http://foursquare.com/venue/16656031)

• Former location of Edward Hopper's first New York City studio, 1910 (53 East 59th Street, http://foursquare.com/venue/16656573)

• Former location of Edward Hopper's Studio, 1913−1967 (3 Washington Square North, http://foursquare.com/venue/16656429)

• Former location of The Whitney Studio Club, 1918−1923 (147 West 4th Street, http://foursquare.com/venue/16655176)

• Former location of the Whitney Museum, 1931−1953 (8 West 8th Street, http://foursquare.com/venue/16654933)

• Former location of the Whitney Museum, 1954−1965 (22 West 54th Street, http://foursquare.com/venue/16655502)

• Whitney Museum of American Art, 1966−Present (945 Madison Avenue at 75th St, http://foursquare.com/venue/18113)

• Site of the Whitney’s future building in the Meatpacking District (Corner of Gansevoort and Washington Streets, http://foursquare.com/venue/16654790)

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Foursquare on the Whitneyphile badge,” says Whitney Museum Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Jeffrey Levine. “Thousands of visitors to the Museum already check in on Foursquare to let their friends know they’re fans of the Whitney, so we’re excited to reward them—as well as new users of Foursquare—and give them the opportunity to learn more about the Museum’s past, present, and future.”

"We're very excited that the Whitney has decided to use the Foursquare platform to engage and reward fans of the museum," said Eric Friedman, Director of Business Development for foursquare. "The Whitney has such a rich history, and Foursquare is the perfect tool for sharing this information with its thousands of visitors."