i
2023
When people think of Bihar, their minds often jump to stereotypes like paan stains, stories of violence, and crowded streets. What many overlook is the immense history this region has contributed to India. To challenge these perceptions, the Bihar government created a museum that preserves Bihar’s historical treasures and serves as a vibrant art & culture hub.
At first, the museum felt out of place. Locals couldn’t understand its significance, and despite being open for seven years, it remained unknown to many in India and abroad.The project addressed this gap, helping the museum connect with its audience, fulfilling its purpose, and delivering an insightful experience for visitors.
RESEARCH
To build an active art and culture ecosystem at Bihar Museum, we conducted extensive research and a service design process to identify key opportunities. The aim was to increase footfall by connecting relevant audience groups and building a culture of knowledge exchange, cultural programming, and artist recognition. The new website was designed to organize and present this knowledge in digitally consumable ways.
UX DESIGN
The UX strategy was driven by a clear goal to help user groups recognise the potential of the Bihar Museum and engage with its services. The site needed to facilitate services such as guided tours and ticketing, while presenting the museum’s vast information in a relevant way to encourage more museum visits.
The information architecture was developed with two insights in mind:
1) Goal-oriented tasks
2) Exploration-driven tasks
Creating four user groups based on different expectations helped shape a more focused digital experience and content for each group, improving overall efficiency and reach. A key challenge was to avoid overwhelming users with too much information. If a user knows exactly what they need, like buying a ticket, their journey should be simple and direct. If they come to explore, the site should invite them to discover the museum’s diverse stories, resources, and opportunities.
The information architecture was developed with two insights in mind:
1) Goal-oriented tasks
2) Exploration-driven tasks
Creating four user groups based on different expectations helped shape a more focused digital experience and content for each group, improving overall efficiency and reach. A key challenge was to avoid overwhelming users with too much information. If a user knows exactly what they need, like buying a ticket, their journey should be simple and direct. If they come to explore, the site should invite them to discover the museum’s diverse stories, resources, and opportunities.
UI DESIGN & VISUAL STYLE
We extended the brand identity to develop a UI style that Bihar Museum could truly own, one that feels authentic and connected. We stayed away from adopting other international museums’ designs to present the unique aspects of Bihar Museum. The UI style was designed to reflect the grandeur, elegance, and cultural importance seen in their collection.
The branding was centred around the use of Devanagari script. We used this as a tool to narrate the stories and qualities of different artefacts. The website graphics were stylised to reinforce the branding, while other UI elements were kept purposeful, simple, and direct, ensuring a balance between visual appeal and functionality.
The branding was centred around the use of Devanagari script. We used this as a tool to narrate the stories and qualities of different artefacts. The website graphics were stylised to reinforce the branding, while other UI elements were kept purposeful, simple, and direct, ensuring a balance between visual appeal and functionality.
UI elements used clear colour distinctions and styles to help users filter information easily. The site was designed in English and Hindi to reach a wider audience. Careful attention to space division, text density, and legibility within UI elements was crucial to achieve a consistent visual look and hierarchy for both language scripts.
TICKETING JOURNEY
Syncing the museum’s onsite and online experience was essential. This included how information is organised, how tickets are generated, and how services are delivered. The design system also helped streamline the operations handled by the museum staff for various services. For example, the ticketing steps were aligned with the overall ticket database or information being synced with the signages in the museum, making it easier for the staff to organise visitors and guide them through their museum visit.
IMPACT CREATED
Audience Reach: The new digital presence attracted a diverse audience, with 50,000+ visitors onsite within 6 months of launch. Monthly visitor numbers increased, expanding the museum’s audience base from locals to a broader demographic and professions.
Global Recognition: A vibrant cultural ecosystem was created, enabling artists, curators and experts to collaborate and network. After the project launch, the museum hosted the biennale, monthly exhibitions, the G20 India exhibition, and gained representation on the global museum stage.
Global Recognition: A vibrant cultural ecosystem was created, enabling artists, curators and experts to collaborate and network. After the project launch, the museum hosted the biennale, monthly exhibitions, the G20 India exhibition, and gained representation on the global museum stage.
Event Participation: Over the past year, the museum attracted both Indian and global collaborators, hosting more than 16 exhibitions and shows, solidifying its position in the art and culture landscape. From visitors via personal invites and word of mouth, the museum has seen increased footfall through social media forms, newsletters and website.
Operational Efficiency: The new system streamlined internal operations, improving service delivery and operational efficiency. This resulted in more online visitors, better crowd management onsite, and a seamless sync between online and onsite information.
The site is live at www.biharmuseum.org
The site is live at www.biharmuseum.org
