The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History
Reshaping Israel's largest nature museum
Branding & Visual Identity
Logo Design
Strategy
Web Design
Social Media
Wayfinding
Uniforms
Each to its own
When designing a logo for a museum, or other public institute in a tri-lingual country, the common solution is a symbol next to three lines of text, in three different languages. The problem is that every language has its own different DNA, and the end result is a mod pudge of shapes in different sizes.
Our solution was to make the text the logo or what we "the pros" call a "logotype".
Webbing a brand new website
After more than five years, the museum’s website required a comprehensive overhaul. We first launched the museum’s old website even before its official opening. Naturally, the requirements of a well-established institution differ from those of a newly established one. Over time, websites tend to become disorganized and fragmented, lacking a consistent structure. The introduction of additional pages caused the entire website’s structure to collapse, making navigation challenging for users. Our primary objective extended beyond superficial visual enhancements; we aimed to fundamentally redesign the website’s architecture.
We first meticulously mapped the existing website, thoroughly documenting every page and button. Then, we built an interactive prototype, which facilitates collaborative discussions between the client and ourselves, enabling us to gain a clearer understanding of the revised plan.
Upon completing the wireframe, we proceeded to the design of the user interface.
The following key elements contribute to the effectiveness of the new design:
1. Laying a Strong Foundation
The inspiration for the new design is the “cabinet of curiosities,” an early form of natural history museums. The neatly packed exhibits guided us in organizing the data on the page. We used modern CSS technology to ensure that every pixel on the screen was utilized.
2. Creating User-Friendly Navigation
All websites must have user-friendly navigation, which is self-evident. However, since the museum’s website caters to a diverse range of target groups, including researchers, visitors, teachers, and more, we had to find a solution that would provide each group with relevant information at the right time and place.
3. Defining Clear Hierarchies
We developed tools for our client to enhance content organization. For instance, the new layout and the high contrast between main titles and body text facilitate user navigation through the highly densed content while maintaining an effortless overview of the museum’s offerings.
4. Enriching User Interactions
Engaging interactions can transform the user experience from mundane to enriching. Similar to the zooming motion of a microscope, we incorporated interactive elements that reveal additional information by clicking or hovering.