Insights

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco oversees two unique museums - the de Young in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park - and stands as one of the most visited arts institutions in the United States. We worked with their team to create Insights, an immersive digital platform that showcases their permanent collections and special exhibitions.

Strategy

We worked closely with FAMSF to translate the in-person museum experience into this interactive, digital space. We interviewed incredible people across the institution and collaborated in workshops to find new ways to celebrate the breadth and diversity of their collections. Out of this process emerged a clear need to give the platform an identity of its own.

Naming

We began by selecting a name that could represent the initiative and encourage visitors to discover more. Carefully crafted to leave room for interpretation, Insights captures the spirit of what can be seen both on the surface and upon deeper reflection. With context and a closer look, what might appear simple at face value becomes complex. Something new emerges. Something insightful appears from something in sight.

Building for expansion

Every element of Insights was built for extensibility, allowing the platform to grow and change as the museums’ collections evolve. We created a robust component gallery that each emphasized different elements of the art. While some offered deep historical context, others brought users in close to look at the details of the artwork. Used together, this toolkit allows the curators to customize the pace and structure of the story they develop; arranging the components one way, they might tell one story, but rearranged another way visitors see something completely different.

The aesthetic needed to reflect two vastly different museums and the collections of art within them, while maintaining a level of tonal and visual consistency.

Press & Awards

Webby Awards

Honoree, 2019

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