Connecting to Contemporary Art, Wherever You Are

Schema designed and built the new website for the Henry Art Gallery, the only museum dedicated to contemporary art in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. The design of the Henry’s website takes a content-centric approach by highlighting current and past programming. Visitors can seamlessly navigate current and upcoming exhibitions as well as the entire exhibition archive directly from the homepage. Designed for mobile first, the site intentionally reduces levels of hierarchy to give visitors direct and immediate access to the content.

The website is a starting point for the visitor experience

Process

Our work on the website coincided with the rebranding of the museum. Working closely with the design and marketing teams, we approached the website in context of the overall visitor experience. Acknowledging that the website is often the first step in a museum visitor’s experience, we introduced an “interpretative layer” that acts as a starting point for thinking about art. This layer is manifested through a primacy of imagery on the homepage, while exhibitions are introduced through thought-provoking questions and statements, creating an experience punctuated by moments of reflection—both visual and conceptual.

Outcome

The Henry’s new website is founded on the power of the individual experience with a work of art, and extends that experience into the digital realm. The work and ideas presented at the Henry are nothing if not challenging—they require both courage and imagination from visitors. The website furthers this sentiment, all while elevating the on-site museum experience. Visit the website.