Museum Website Platform Conversion & Redesign
We worked with the Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida to rebuild their museum website. We migrated the site to WordPress for more streamlined administration, and used it as an opportunity to restructure the site and improve the user experience.
Improving Usability, Accessibility and Scalability
The team at Harn was facing challenges with their existing website content management system, making the site difficult to manage. They knew it was time to change platforms.
The Landslide team evaluated the current site, and saw an opportunity to not only migrate it to WordPress, but also make more structural updates that would drastically improve the usability, accessibility and scalability of the website. These updates would significantly reduce the need for rework during any future redesigns and make better use of the museum’s resources.
Content Management Strategy
We worked with the Harn team to devise a content management strategy that would ensure the site started on the right path and could grow with them.
-
Thoughtful Content Structure Within the CMS
We leveraged Posts in WordPress for structured content like blog articles, exhibits, collections, and press releases. We could now apply consistent formatting to each type of content, and create efficiency because each post could be entered once and then appear in multiple places automatically. Structuring the content properly at this stage made the site more scalable and future-proof.
-
Clear Content Hierarchy
We created a true hierarchy of pages and content to simplify the WordPress dashboard configuration for administrators and provide more intuitive navigation for visitors. It also allowed for adding navigation breadcrumbs for better usability on a large website. Changing the content hierarchy meant URLs would change, so we set up automatic redirects to avoid broken links and preserve SEO value.
-
Content Audit
Like with any website that has been around for a while, older content had started to accumulate and clutter the site. We created a plan together for auditing and archiving historical content that was no longer relevant.
-
Content Migration
Much of the content had to be migrated manually. Our content management team created a detailed system to map content to its new location in the updated sitemap, and track the migration process to ensure no content was missed.
Bright & Distinct Design
The museum’s brand guidelines feature bold, unique colors and font styles that we were eager to incorporate into the custom website design. We assigned colors for each section of the site so that they also serve as a navigational aid.
Accessible Design & Development
Accessible web design is critical for a museum website that needs to serve all audiences. We used the WCAG 2.1 accessibility guidelines for ADA compliance.
Robust Navigation
A streamlined, intuitive navigation system was a key objective for the new site. We also wanted to take the navigation menu to the next level, incorporating photos and short descriptions to give visitors a preview of what to expect when they click.
Website Features
We developed several website features that would make day-to-day management of the site easier than ever. Automated processes ensure the admin team is never duplicating work, and outdated content, like past events, are removed without additional intervention.
Event Calendar
The museum hosts many events, including talks, tours, social events and performances. We built a full-featured calendar to feature upcoming events. Recurring events can be entered once and automatically repeat for quick event management.
Exhibitions
We built a custom exhibition management system to showcase the museum’s current, upcoming and past exhibitions.
Collections
We built a system to feature the museum’s diverse collections, connecting to eMuseum to allow visitors to browse individual artworks.
Program Directory
The Harn offers numerous programs for their community. We organized the programs in an easy-to-browse directory, where visitors can click to see upcoming related events or learn more about the program.
Resource Library
A resource library organizes a wide variety of content, including articles, annual reports, educational materials, and more. Posts can be categorized and dynamically featured on related pages.
Flexible Page Layouts
The site is built with a simple, modular system for page layouts, making it quick and easy for the admin team to create new pages, add new content, and adjust page layouts to accommodate their evolving needs.
Start Your Custom Website Project
Let’s talk about how we can partner to bring your vision to life. Reach out to learn more and get started.