Reinforcing its commitment to engaging the public and providing global access to the Museum and its collections, The Museum of Modern Art launches a completely redesigned website at www.MoMA.org on March 6, 2009. The new site integrates dynamic features that offer visitors a more personal online experience, enhanced navigation, and access to MoMA’s collection, exhibitions, and resources through a highly visual and fluid new interface that brings the voices and perspectives of MoMA’s audience to the forefront.
Organization
— Streamlined Navigation – The content of MoMA.org is now organized into
five paths: Visit, Learn, Explore, Support, and Shop, via an intuitively
designed navigational bar.
Social Networking
— User Accounts – Web visitors can set up personal online accounts that
provide tools to customize, share, and save groupings of favorite works
from MoMA’s collection or any content throughout the site, including
events, films, and exhibitions. The site is also able to keep track of
users’ content preferences and make suggestions based on those
preferences, regardless of whether users have registered for an account.
— Online Communities – The “Explore” section of MoMA.org
utilizes social networking platforms to engage with visitors and extend
communication through the integration of external links to MoMA’s online
communities on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, iTunes U, and Flickr. A live
Twitter feed also runs on the site and a new multimedia page showcases
MoMA’s videos.
Personalized Experience
— Visitor Resources – For those who physically visit the Museum,
“Visit” offers a new set of planning and interpretive tools in
a clear and visually engaging format that enhances the experience
before, during, and after a trip to MoMA’s galleries. A dynamic new
Calendar section and calendar widgets are integrated throughout the
site, featuring specific programs and events.
— Online Collection – For online users who want to learn more about MoMA’s
unparalleled collection of modern and contemporary art, the Museum’s
online collection area has been completely revised, providing innovative
ways to browse, group, save, and share images and information. The new
format offers image-based browsing, as well as lists and resource links
for those who want a more direct interface. While in the Museum,
visitors also will be able to use mobile messaging to text a work’s ID
to their personal online accounts for future exploration and
scholarship.
— Personal Reminders – Registered users will be able to receive personal
text messages and e-mail reminders about current and upcoming Museum
events and exhibitions of their choice.
New Perspectives
— MoMA Voices – MoMA Voices is a new section that will offer audio
commentaries, film trailers, and short videos on exhibitions, artists,
and special projects that can be viewed on the site, shared, and
discussed. MoMA Voices is launching with a commissioned series of
30-second video portraits of MoMA members and staff by the Swiss artist
Thilo Hoffmann. The videos depict a range of humorous, poignant, and
personal responses to MoMA- from the whimsical narration of a child
acting as a tour guide, to members talking about their favorite secret
spaces in the Museum on a rainy day, to a staff member turning
cartwheels in the empty galleries.
— Integrated Flickr Images – The design of the new site brings visitors’
experiences directly into the Museum by featuring photos taken by the
public. MoMA.org will continuously draw from images that are uploaded to
the photography portfolio in the Museum’s Flickr group. All photos are
credited and link back to the original image in Flickr.
The website redesign project is led by Allegra Burnette, MoMA’s Creative Director for Digital Media, and Steven Peltzman, MoMA’s Chief Information Officer. MoMA supervised an in-house team and outside consultants, including For Office Use Only, New York, which collaborated on the design; ShiftSpace, New York, which developed the social features on the site; and Cogapp, Brighton, England, which programmed the collection and e-cards sections.
Web site: http://www.MoMA.org//
