April 4, 2008 | Volume 5, Issue 2
Redefining Contemporary
Analyzing the Web Development of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Art museums are striving to maintain their relevance in an increasingly digital age. Low-to-no-cost user-centered interactive technologies such as blogs, podcasts and streaming media are now finally being adopted by art museums as tools to connect with a younger, more tech-savvy patron base. In 2004, the Smithsonian-affiliated Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. recognized the need for a more engaging web presence and set out to redesign its website. Given their goals of stronger brand identity, increased page views and development of online audience participation, this paper examines Hirshhorn’s current technology initiatives and evaluates the web 2.0-inspired site redesign. Functionality and overall usability of the site, the availability of robust, original content, authentic real-time user interaction and the generation of success metrics are key criteria by which both the Hirshhorn case and any other user-focused re-designs are to be judged.
History and Background
The Smithsonian Museums
The Smithsonian Institution was established at the bequest of James Smithson in 1846. Smithson donated his property “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.”1 Since the initial gift, the Smithsonian has expanded to include nineteen cultural and scientific museums (including the Hirshorn), nine research facilities and the National Zoological Park. The Smithsonian has over 130 million items in its collection and its website brought in almost 150 million annual site visits.
Hirshhorn’s History & Collection
The Smithsonian began construction on the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in 1966 by an Act of Congress.2 Housing the entirety of the personal collection of Latvian-born financier Joseph H. Hirshhorn, the Hirshorn was the first museum of contemporary art on the National Mall. Hirshhorn collected more than 6,000 works in his lifetime was perhaps best known for his collection of sculpture from nineteenth and twentieth centuries .3 His collection included works by contemporary masters such as Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Brancusi and Auguste Rodin.4 Under the artistic leadership of founding director Abram Lerner, the museum opened its doors to the public in 1974.
The museum’s collection currently contains approximately 11,500 works. The collection, comprised of paintings, sculptures, works on paper, photographs, collages and some decorative art objects, focuses primarily on modern and contemporary art. Through acquisitions, exhibition, education, public programs, conservation and research, the Hirshhorn fulfills its mission of being “a leading voice for contemporary art and culture and … a national platform for the art and artists of our time…seek[ing] to share the transformative power of modern and contemporary art with audiences at all levels of awareness and understanding by creating meaningful, personal experiences in which art, artists, audiences and ideas converge.”5 The Hirshhorn is committed to acquiring and showing works with historical significance.6 Consequently, the museum possesses numerous, traditional, historic and portraiture pieces.
Challenges
As part of the Smithsonian Institution, the Hirshhorn faces a critical, ongoing challenge. It must retain its identity as a leading contemporary art museum while simultaneously embracing its relationship with the Smithsonian parent and its museum sibling. In order to streamline the adoption of technology, the Smithsonian developed an institution-wide technology plan to meet the needs of all of its constituents.
Smithsonian Institution Technology Plan
Purpose, Functionality and Goals
The Smithsonian Institution’s technology plan incorporates the organization’s overall strategic goals. The Smithsonian also strives to cultivate an environment that will “enhance the quality of institutional services to the public through museums, publications and outreach activities.”7 In a message from their Chief Information Officer, Ann T. Speyer, the Smithsonian acknowledges their “need to enhance public impact, perform first-class scientific research, modernize management systems and achieve financial strength.”8 By adhering to these objectives, the Smithsonian will be able to better manage their facilities and maximize their reach to current and future audiences.
The Smithsonian recognizes that it will require a highly sophisticated management system to accommodate its complicated structural framework. The Smithsonian’s Information Technology Plan (SITP) delineates the Institution’s goals, taking into account the need for stakeholder participation and a well-managed budget. As a whole, the Institution is looking for avenues to cultivate audiences by developing their relationship with both the museum and the art, through enhanced visitor experiences. Its greatest challenge is to connect all aspects of the larger organization, unifying its information systems and streamlining management practices.
Establishing a World-Class Web Presence
The SITP service improvement plan includes the establishment of a world-class web presence. With over 144 million site visits in FY2006, sustaining these efforts is key to engaging their audiences. The Smithsonian views the web as a means not only of disseminating information, but also as a way to build a community. Through research conducted by the Smithsonian, they have concluded that the general public views the organization primarily as a single entity but the format of its website does not effectively convey a uniform public image.9 By strengthening the Smithsonian online brand identity, the institution will be able to better communicate with online audiences and enhance each visitor experience. Initiating this plan also gives site visitors “the opportunity to have a well-rounded experience at the Smithsonian without actually leaving the computer.”10 As part of the Institution’s goals for 2007–2009, the Smithsonian wants to continue “to provide up-to-date, user-friendly information through the internet…to conduct user studies with Smithsonian Business Ventures …to ensure that si.edu is not only educational but entertaining as well.”11 Starting in 2009, the Smithsonian plans to redesign affiliated websites in stages, pending available resources and approved funds.
The Hirshhorn Connection
Remaining aligned with the Smithsonian’s strategic goals, the Hirshhorn website re-design will follow proposed timeline and structure outlined in SITP. With the Smithsonian’s support, the Hirshhorn can successfully “share the transformative power of modern and contemporary art with audiences.”12
Initially launched in 1994 and re-designed for the first time in 2001, the museum’s current website offers general information such as exhibition details, programs, contact information, and information and images of a large number of works from the collection. The Hirshhorn’s primary goal is to make their website the premier destination for information about the Washington, D.C. contemporary art world, achieved through engagement with the local arts community.”13 If the Hirshhorn plans to follow its mission to create “meaningful, personal experiences in which art, artists, audiences and ideas converge,” then it must function not only as a true portal into the museum, but also as a way to create an online community.14 Consequently, the Hirshhorn will reorganize its website in 2007/2008 to create better interaction and functionality.
By 2009, the Hirshhorn plans to use the website primarily for audience development, collections expansion and as a multi-faceted communications tool. According Webmaster Jennifer Ross,
“The Hirshhorn will focus on maintaining the new site, developing new content and using the site as an integral marketing tool for the Hirshhorn. We expect to eventually incorporate web-based art commissions, streaming multimedia, and enhanced interactive content.”15 Not only will this process “enhance public understanding and appreciation of contemporary art”, but it is the start of building solid community relationships.16
The Current Hirshhorn Museum Website
Since its inception in 1994, the Hirshhorn’s current website, www.hirshhorn.si.edu, has seen substantial growth in traffic. The site received more that 3 million visits in 2007 – an 87% increase over the previous year. Visitors to the museum’s website have access to a variety of features:
The Hirshhorn Story
The Hirshhorn Story is an animated timeline that allows visitors to “experience the origins and evolution of the Smithsonian’s museum of modern and contemporary art.”17 This feature exhibits the museum’s history through archival images and text, giving a personalized view of the building’s unusual architecture and background about Joseph Hirshhorn. While the museum’s use of rich media provides users with a captivating tool, there are several usability issues with this interactive feature. For example, users cannot view or print the museum’s entire history in full, but must view and print it in sections by selecting each decade. Consequently, users do not have quick access to the museum’s history or have a single source from which they can download and read the information.
The Hirshhorn Calendar
The Hirshhorn Calendar displays all of the museum’s programs and events and users can view it either by day or by month. To view a list of programs and events, however, users must click on individual days or the “Full-Month Calendar” link. The museum could enhance this informative tool by adding capabilities such as a search function, which would enable users to look for event information in a variety of ways. Additional enhancements could include a reminder function that allows users to receive alerts for specific events and the option to sync visitors’ personal calendars with the website.
Podcasts
With over 184,000 downloads to date, podcasts have been a popular addition to the website. Installed on the website in December 2005, the Hirshhorn found podcasts to be a particularly successful tool to engage visitors in a dialogue with works in their collection, in traveling exhibitions, and with artists. Posted files bring user voices forward by giving the Hirshhorn’s audience a chance to make comments, which enables a range of responses to the museum experience and allows for audience creativity and participation. The Hirshhorn’s podcasts have increased public access to their exhibitions. They are also a relatively easy and affordable way to enable museum-goers to participate in the conversation from settings other than the physical museum, and to educate audiences on contemporary art in a way that is convenient and accessible to a broad community.
Art Interactive
This interactive educational tool permits website visitors to learn about different forms of art using the museum’s collection as a resource, and “encourages[visitors] to explore[their] own artistic expression by making a piece of art online”18 by using the software provided. By allowing users to create their own “work of art”, the museum adds a clever element of entertainment to an otherwise educational tool.
Teacher Resources
The Hirshhorn provides teachers and other education professionals with information rich educational packets that are available for download; however these do not take advantage of any interactive tools such as Blogs or RSS tools.
Collection Search
The online search tool allows visitors to find information on nearly all of the 11,500 objects in the Hirshhorn collection, with information maintained and updated by the Hirshhorn staff” .19 The database is searchable by artists, title, date, nationality, schools, or works currently on view. Out of their entire collection, only 2,000 records are currently accompanied by images, leaving a wide gap in what is available for search.
“Contribute” Section
This section is focused solely on development and is purely informational. A good addition to the website would to have a section where people can give online by credit card, or be able to download a donation form. A more interactive way to use this page could also include statistics updating the public what money is being raised and how it is being used.
Online Store
The Hirshhorn does have adequate information about the museum store and invites online visitors to shop via the Smithsonian website.20 In order to maximize brand awareness, the Hirshhorn should take ownership of a certain part of the Smithsonian online store and provide active links on the Hirshhorn website that serve as a call-to-action and successfully promote Hirshhorn-branded items.
Flickr
The Hirshhorn drives traffic to its website and promotes general awareness of the institution with a museum Flickr account. This account is another important way in which the museum encourages the public to participate in the creative process. Rather than relying solely on people visiting the museum site for information, Flickr provides another venue for the museum to reach out to the public and gain “serendipitous exposure.” By allowing the museum and users to share photos, the account furthers the dialogue between the audience and the institution. The Hirshhorn’s presence on Flickr also functions as a grassroots marketing technique, which it has found to be an effective and efficient means of connecting with the widest possible audience.
The Hirshhon Website Redesign Project and Analysis
The Hirshhorn’s redesign process took shape officially in 2004 when Webmaster Jennifer Ross, and External Relations Director Beth Tuttle joined the museum staff. Together, they helped craft an external relations strategy to bring a more robust presence to the website., In order to better communicate with the community the Hirshhorn serves, they determined that they would have to incorporate participatory and interactive components into the web design. In particular, Hirshhorn’s updated site would offer new features and content, allow for more interactivity for visitors, expand collection search capabilities, utilize more innovative of technology to present content and better connect the museum to the Washington, D.C. community.
| Current website | Redesigned website |
| _ Current New Media | |
| Podcasts | Blogs |
| The Hirshhorn Story | Tagged Images |
| The Hirshhorn Calendar | Widgets |
| Basic Collection Search | RSS Feeds |
| Art Interactive | “Ask the Artist” section |
| * Still some static portions of the website | * More interactivity |
| * Mainly informational | * More opportunities for participation |
Starting in Spring 2008, the Hirshhorn website will be less of a bulletin board for information. Instead of simply posting details about the museum, such as contact information, museum hours, or driving directions, the new site will include features such as blogs, image tags, widgets and RSS feeds. The website aims to cultivate the next generation of museum-goers through multimedia initiatives, user-interactivity and educational outreach.
Blogs
The revamped site will include blogs focused around different fields. For example, the “Ask the Artist” section will offer visitors an opportunity to ask participating artists questions, and allow these artist to answer and engage those visitors directly. Artists will not only be able to share their work and their stories, but will also be able to collaborate with users, inviting collaborative work. Fostering community dialogue is an important component of the social web and the Hirshhorn will be adding value to user visits through this interaction tool.
Importance of Robust Content
The most important part of having a blog is having a great host and developing strong content. If the host and content are not engaging, the ability to retain the listener and reach the full potential of this community engagement tool will be simply wasted. Also, connecting with their audience through a blog site should not happen only once or twice. Rather, to establish a solid community relationship, it’s important that, once visitors are enticed to participate, the museum continues to engage them so that an ongoing exchange occurs. The Hirshhorn should track blog visits, the number of participants, and track the program and event attendance that directly result from web content.
Tags
Descriptive image tags will be assigned to Hirshhorn images, allowing users to search a visual library online, simply by by typing in keywords such as artist and title. More abstract piece descriptors such as will also be acceptable input. This version of tagging will make searching more intuitive and inviting.
Widgets
Widgets are sections of code that can be embedded within webpages or “mini” local applications that continually provide up-to-date custom content (i.e., current local weather). Easy to create and implement, widgets require minimal maintenance. The Hirshhorn widget may help increase interest in and awareness of the museum. The Rijksmuseum offers a locally-downloadable widget that displays a different painting from their collection every day on the user’s desktop. Clicking on it provides more information about the work and the artist. The Rijkswidget has been downloaded by tens of thousands of people. The Hirshhorn could adopt a similar approach and not only increase site traffic, but also provide daily inspiration and information to their audience.
RSS Feeds
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a format for syndicating online content. A Hirshorn RSS with museum news updates and events would be and ideal way to keep the Hirshhorn top-of-mind for users.22 This new media tool works best when combined with a robust main site that is continually updated with new and enticing information.
Recommendations and Notes on Implementation
When finalizing their implementation plan for the website redesign, the Hirshhorn should consider the following:
Functionality and Usability
The Hirshhorn should perform a thorough usability and functionality evaluation of the current website and survey current and potential audiences to see what would enhance the website design. Currently, the Hirshhorn website is difficult to navigate. For example, if visitors want to access the musuem’s podcasts, they have to remember that the only link to this feature is housed on the website’s main page. Currently, there are not multiple links to this feature, nor is it listed in the drop-down menus in the navigation pane. Even smaller details such navigation links contribute to a user’s overall impression of the museum. . Usability centrally affects user experience, which in turn drives user traffic.23 The Hirshhorn must keep its diverse audiences in mind when deciding what tools should be available and how easy they are to use.
Reaching the Next Generation of Museum-Goers
Museums need to develop the next generation of websites, and enable their users to participate by giving feedback and even sharing and curating content. Since the Hirshhorn is a contemporary arts organization, new and cutting-edge technology is particularly important. Part of cultivating the next generation of museum-goers involves recognizing what this key group expects from a website. The next generation of museum-goers is interested in more than just functioning as spectators – they want to get involved. Employing more social media technology will help the Hirshhorn to strengthen their impact in the community and demonstrate their relevance.
Real-Time Interaction
The Hirshhorn should also consider developing additional communication outlets in relation to exhibitions and programs, with the purpose of encouraging live feedback and exchange. A good option is the use of the social networking site Twitter, which allows users to upload updated messages from the museum and other users, facilitating the exchange of users’ ideas, revelations and reactions to posted content. Conversations could be made available in real time with a Hirshhorn Twitter page accessible via the new Hirshhorn website. Unlike podcasts, these audio clips can provide insight into the responses of various peer groups, therefore increasing public interest in exhibitions. Yet another way to facilitate communication, the use of Twitter is also a valuable as a word-of-mouth vehicle.
Success Metrics
The new social media tools that will be adopted by the Hirshhorn website can provide valuable information regarding what their current and potential audiences find interesting. Participation levels are important indicators for the museum, and there are low-cost tools available to efficiently and effectively track involvement and interest in online tools. An internal tracking system should be put into place to track the time spent on various sections of the website, the frequency with which a user visits the website and the popularity of items for download. The information gathered will inform what additions and/or revisions should be made to the website to optimally engage the Hirshhorn’s audience.
Conclusion
Art museums, and particularly contemporary art museums, have the ability to facilitate dialogue and debate about the world in which we live. However, that dialogue is incomplete without active community involvement. Through their website and by employing more social media technologies, the Hirshhorn is striving to better engage the community. This interaction has the added benefit of enabling them to learn from their audience, self-evaluate and better fulfill their mission. Their renewed commitment to new social media technologies will increase user-interactivity and participation, educational programming, and creative media programming. By providing a new and more complete platform, the Hirshhorn will be better positioned to foster dialogue, ensure community participation, and inform and enliven cultural and aesthetic understanding of contemporary art.
1 Smithsonian Institution, “History.” www.si.edu http://www.si.edu/about/history.htm
2 “The Hirshhorn Story.” www.hirshhorn.si.edu http://hirshhorn.si.edu/museum/story_text.html
3 Ibid.
4 “Museum Story: The Founding Donor.” www.hirshhorn.si.edu
5 “Our Mission.” www.hirshhorn.si.edu. < http://hirshhorn.si.edu/museum/mission.html>.
6 “Highlights on view.” www.hirshhorn.si.edu
7 Ibid.
8 SITP, pg. 2.
9 SITP, pg. 189.
10 Ibid, pg 190.
11 Ibid.
12 “Our Mission.” www.hirshhorn.si.edu
13 Ibid, 199.
14 SITP pg 199.
15 Ibid.
16 “Our Mission.” www.hirshhorn.si.edu
17 “The Hirshhorn Story.” www.hirshhorn.si.edu.
18 “Art Interactive.” www.hirshhorn.si.edu. < http://hirshhorn.si.edu/education/interactive.html>.
19 “Collection Search.” www.hirshhorn.si.edu.
20 http://www.smithsonianstore.com/home.jsp
21 http://www.museumbrandingblog.co.uk/?p=102. Retrieved February 8, 2008.