Giving the collection of The Rijksmuseum back to the public
Rijksstudio
Rijksmuseum.nl blew the dust off one of the world's most unique collections for good. In Rijksstudio you can download free high-resolution images,more than 340,000 works of art.
The Challenge
The Rijksmuseum was about to reopen in 2013 after a decade-long renovation. The challenge was not just building a website, but creating a digital experience that did justice to one of the world's finest art collections. How do you make centuries of art accessible, intimate and engaging for a global online audience? How do you design a platform where visitors can zoom in so close they see the crackle in the paint and then download, collect and remix masterpieces for their own creations?
Value Added
As one of my first projects as a UX designer, I was part of a talented design team at Fabrique, iterating on the platform and conducting research with museum visitors and online users. I helped shape the user experience of a tool that let people get up close and personal with the masters. Downloading free high-resolution images, exploring details invisible to the naked eye and creating their own collections. Design and development were all done in-house by the Fabrique team, winning multiple awards for concept and design. This was the project where I learned the real skills of a UX designer. From user research and iteration to designing for cultural impact at scale. The use of large imagery was copied by museums and cultural institutions worldwide.
Results
- People's Choice Award at Museums and the Web 2013
- Most Innovative Project at Museums and the Web 2013
- Best of the Web Award at Museums and the Web 2013
- Awwwards nominee for design excellence
- Over 340,000 works of art made freely available in high resolution
Rijksstudio — Rijksmuseum.