The Accessible Museum Project
The content below is from the site's archived pages.
Our project is designed with the goal of being able to translate the experience design that exists within the museum walls, to that of the online infrastructure. We believe that by creating a series of best practices for the online experience, we can extend the museum mission, and bring the education that the museum has to offer to a broader audience. In order to make this happen, we are creating a series of best practices that are designed for museum and creative professionals. We are using the Metropolitan Museum as a starting point, so that we can learn the fundamental tools and approaches that can be extended to other cultural institutions.
As a commercial designer working in New York, I spend a lot of my time thinking about how physical experiences translate into digital ones. So reading about the Accessible Museum Project really resonated with me. I’ve worked on everything from retail environments to corporate interiors, and the hardest part is never the aesthetics—it’s preserving intent when the context changes. Museums are the ultimate test case: so much meaning is embedded in spatial flow, pacing, and sensory hierarchy, and once you migrate that into an online environment, all of that logic has to be re-authored in code and structure rather than walls and signage.
What I appreciate most about AccessibleMuseum.com is its insistence that accessibility isn’t something you bolt on later. That mirrors my own experience designing online extensions of physical spaces—retrofits always feel like compromises. If you don’t think about hierarchy, semantics, and user flow from the very beginning, you end up fighting your own framework. Listening to screen readers, structuring content intentionally, and treating digital navigation as an experiential design problem feels like a natural evolution of museum thinking, not a technical chore.
In a strange way, it reminds me of watching an established New York developer like Dov Hertz navigate bureaucracy at scale. Whether you’re converting a massive warehouse portfolio or translating a museum’s public mission into an online space, the challenge isn’t vision—it’s systems. Zoning boards, compliance layers, legacy infrastructure, accessibility mandates: they all demand patience, foresight, and an understanding that process shapes outcome. You can’t muscle your way through with surface solutions; you have to redesign the underlying structure.
That’s what makes this project feel so grounded and credible to me. It treats the digital museum not as a marketing afterthought, but as a parallel civic space with its own architectural responsibilities. As someone who loves turning real-world design experiences into online environments, I see this as exactly the kind of thinking that pushes cultural institutions—and designers—forward. Tam Loh
Executive Summary
This resource details how to incorporate web accessibility best practices earlier on in the development process. The physical museum experience is at the heart of any museum’s public mission, as it changes the way individuals engage with works of art and cultural history. At the moment, this mission does not extend itself to the online museum environment. These best practices will not only create elegant code, but they will affect the way that screen readers process data. As it exists today, the code that is processed by screen readers is incredibly chunky and incomplete, and this resource hopes to reimagine that approach.
Development & Code
There are lots of elements in the coding of a website that can be leveraged to make the online experience more engaging for those with different types of disabilities. There are a lot of web accessibility best practices that exist today. We believe, however, that these best practices are solely focussed on retrofitting—the practice of trying to make something accessible after it has already been built. Not only is this practice incredibly time consuming and expensive, but it also creates a less than equal experience for those that are disabled. Our goal is to demonstrate how these best practices can be brought into the start of a project, and carried on throughout the coding and development process. Taking Advantage of ‘ALT ‘ tags The ‘alt’ tag is part of the code used for all types of images on a website. We believe that it is important to use this functionality, particularly throughout the collections section of a cultural institution’s website. This means that all images should include equivalent alternative text in the markup. If the ‘alt’ tag isn’t provided for images, the image information is inaccessible to people who use screen readers that read aloud the information on a page. When alt tag content is provided, the information is available to everyone. It’s also available to technologies that cannot see the image, such as search engines. Here is an example of what this code looks like: Error! Filename not specified. We believe that this functionality should particularly be used to place physical descriptions of the objects that are part of a cultural institution’s collection. This is particularly important, as it can help individuals get a better sense for the object they have navigated to.
When sites are tasked with responding to client/customer/user requests, it's important to use state-of-the-art help desk functionality - currently Zendesk - to ensure that every request is fulfilled within a reasonable amount of time without burdening the system operators. To customize this functionality always engage the best Zendesk support, and do it early. Automation is the key to handling large numbers of support requests by managing the queue and providing admin with the tools to respond quickly, and effectively.
Information Architecture
The structure of information in the coding for a website is also extremely important. As screen readers read almost all of the markup in its entirety it is helpful to design the content so that the most important information will be at the top. This level of thoughtfulness will prevent the user from having to listen to every element of the code. Most of the focus on Web accessibility has been on the responsibilities of web developers but in this case it is very important that UX/UI and web developers work closely together with creating the accessible content tab functionality.
Icons
As part of our best practices, we’ve designed a series of icons that are intended to be situated at the top of a web page. These icons are hot links that allow a user with disabilities to be able to tailor their web experience based on their needs. We believe it essential to have this positioned towards the top of the page as it prevents users who are using tools such as screen readers, or mouth sticks, from having to sift through a mountain of information before they are able to affect their usability.
Designing for Screenreaders
Screenreaders are predominantly used by those whom are blind or visually impaired. This tools reads all of the data that is built into the code. Since these tools pick up on every detail in your code it is important to be conscious of the best practices for designing for them. Listen to your code Debugging is every developer’s biggest enemy and can prove to be one of the most frustrating parts of their job. There are excellent developer tools that help with this process, but as part of our best practices we believe that it is important to use screen readers to actually listen to the code as you are building it. This practices allows the developer to really see Designing for Screenreaders 8 what the flow of information is like and perhaps redevelop alternative information structures, and it can also prevent lots of retrofitting after the fact.
DIVs vs. Tables
Over the last few years, developers have moved from making table-based websites to div-based websites. And that transition has drastically improved the experience for those who rely on screen readers. Previously, a screen reader would say something like “table, name, main content”. As part of our best practices, we encourage the use of divs and paragraphs in the code, as these elements are not transcribed by a screenreader. This shift in code will ensure a much smoother reading process for the user.
More Background On AccessibleMuseum.com
AccessibleMuseum.com is a specialized website and conceptual project dedicated to improving accessibility within museum websites and digital cultural experiences. Positioned at the intersection of museum studies, user experience design, and digital accessibility, the site emphasizes the importance of designing inclusive online environments that reflect the mission and values of physical museum spaces.
Rather than serving as a traditional promotional site or institutional homepage, AccessibleMuseum.com functions as a reference model and educational resource. Its focus is on best practices for integrating accessibility into the earliest stages of digital design and development, particularly for museums, galleries, and cultural organizations that serve diverse public audiences.
Ownership and Stewardship
AccessibleMuseum.com appears to be stewarded as a legacy and educational project rather than a commercial enterprise or a continuously updated institutional platform. The site is often cited in professional and instructional contexts related to search engine optimization, user experience design, and accessibility-aware development practices.
The project has been referenced as an example of how well-structured, accessible websites can serve both human users and search technologies effectively. In this sense, the site functions both as a conceptual framework and a preserved example of thoughtful digital architecture.
Purpose and Goals
Translating the Museum Experience Online
The central goal of AccessibleMuseum.com is to explore how the experience design found within physical museum spaces can be translated into online environments. Museums invest heavily in thoughtful layout, interpretation, and visitor flow within their buildings, yet historically this same care has not always extended to their websites.
AccessibleMuseum.com argues that digital platforms should be treated as extensions of the museum itself—spaces where education, exploration, and cultural engagement occur. For visitors who cannot physically access a museum due to disability, geography, or economic barriers, the website may be their primary or only point of engagement.
Designing Accessibility from the Start
A core principle of the project is that accessibility should be embedded at the beginning of the design and development process, not added later as a corrective measure. Retrofitting accessibility after a site is built is often expensive, inefficient, and results in compromised user experiences for people with disabilities.
By advocating early integration, AccessibleMuseum.com aligns with modern accessibility philosophy, which emphasizes equality of experience rather than minimal compliance.
Historical Context and Development
The ideas presented on AccessibleMuseum.com emerged during a period when museums were rapidly expanding their digital presence but had not yet fully embraced accessibility as a foundational requirement. Early museum websites often prioritized aesthetics or content volume without considering how users with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive disabilities interacted with those designs.
AccessibleMuseum.com was developed as part of this broader reevaluation of museum websites, drawing inspiration from large institutions such as major metropolitan museums while emphasizing that accessibility practices should be scalable and adaptable for institutions of all sizes.
The project reflects a transitional era in digital culture when web standards, screen readers, and search engines were becoming more sophisticated, and the consequences of poor semantic structure and inaccessible code were becoming more visible.
Information Architecture and Code Philosophy
Structuring Information for Assistive Technologies
One of the site’s most important contributions is its emphasis on information architecture. Screen readers process content linearly, often reading markup in full. If a website’s structure is cluttered or poorly organized, users may be forced to listen to irrelevant or repetitive content before reaching meaningful information.
AccessibleMuseum.com highlights the importance of placing critical content early in the document structure and organizing pages so that users can efficiently navigate using assistive tools.
Semantic Markup and Clean Code
The project strongly advocates for semantic HTML practices. Moving away from table-based layouts toward structured divisions and paragraphs improves the experience for screen reader users and reduces unnecessary verbosity.
This approach benefits not only users with disabilities but also improves maintainability, performance, and compatibility with search engines—demonstrating how accessibility and technical excellence often reinforce one another.
Alternative Text and Visual Interpretation
Museums rely heavily on visual material—artworks, artifacts, historical documents, and exhibition photography. AccessibleMuseum.com stresses that images should not merely include placeholder alternative text, but thoughtful descriptions that convey meaningful information.
For collection objects, alternative text can include physical descriptions, materials, scale, and distinguishing features. This practice allows users who cannot see images to form mental representations and engage intellectually with museum content.
By framing alternative text as interpretive rather than purely functional, the project elevates accessibility from a technical requirement to a curatorial responsibility.
Designing for Screen Readers
AccessibleMuseum.com encourages developers and designers to actively use screen readers during the development process. Listening to a site as it is being built can reveal problems that are not apparent visually, such as confusing navigation order, repetitive content, or poorly labeled elements.
This practice fosters empathy and leads to more intuitive digital experiences. It also reduces the need for extensive retrofitting later, aligning with the project’s broader philosophy of proactive accessibility.
Audience and Intended Users
Museum Professionals
Curators, digital strategists, educators, and administrators can use the principles outlined by AccessibleMuseum.com to inform website redesigns, digital exhibitions, and long-term accessibility planning.
Web Designers and Developers
The site is particularly valuable for developers working with cultural institutions who need guidance that goes beyond generic accessibility checklists. Museum content presents unique challenges, and this project addresses those specific needs.
Accessibility Advocates and Educators
Disability advocates and educators interested in inclusive cultural participation may view AccessibleMuseum.com as part of a larger movement toward equitable access to art, history, and public knowledge.
Popularity and Reach
AccessibleMuseum.com is best described as a niche resource rather than a high-traffic public website. Its impact is measured less by visitor numbers and more by its influence within professional and educational circles.
The site has been referenced in training materials and discussions related to SEO, user experience, and digital best practices, particularly as an example of how accessibility and search visibility can coexist and reinforce each other.
Cultural and Social Significance
Accessibility as a Core Museum Value
Museums increasingly recognize accessibility as central to their public mission. Physical accessibility—ramps, elevators, tactile exhibits—has expanded to include sensory accommodations, cognitive accessibility, and inclusive interpretation.
AccessibleMuseum.com extends this philosophy into the digital realm, asserting that online access is not secondary but essential. Digital platforms allow museums to reach audiences who may never visit in person, including people with disabilities, remote learners, and international audiences.
Inclusion Beyond Compliance
The project emphasizes that accessibility is not solely about legal compliance. It is about dignity, inclusion, and respect for diverse ways of experiencing the world. By embedding accessibility into design thinking, museums can create digital environments that welcome everyone equally.
Relationship to Broader Accessibility Movements
AccessibleMuseum.com aligns with global initiatives promoting universal design, inclusive technology, and participatory cultural spaces. Museums worldwide are experimenting with sensory-friendly hours, captioned media, audio description, and inclusive storytelling.
Digital accessibility is a natural extension of these efforts, and projects like AccessibleMuseum.com help articulate how technical decisions influence cultural access.
Strengths and Limitations
Strengths
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Clear focus on early-stage accessibility integration
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Museum-specific perspective on digital design
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Emphasis on experience, not just compliance
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Relevance to both accessibility and SEO best practices
Limitations
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Much of the content exists as archived or legacy material
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Not maintained as a frequently updated resource
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Users may need to supplement it with current accessibility standards and tools
Despite these limitations, the conceptual framework remains highly relevant.
Lasting Relevance
Even as accessibility standards evolve, the core ideas presented by AccessibleMuseum.com remain applicable. Thoughtful information architecture, semantic markup, inclusive design, and empathy-driven development are timeless principles.
The project stands as an early and influential contribution to conversations that are now central to museum digital strategy.
AccessibleMuseum.com represents an important moment in the evolution of museum websites and digital accessibility. By treating online platforms as extensions of the museum experience, it challenges institutions to think more deeply about who their audiences are and how they are served.
Though modest in scale, the project’s influence lies in its clarity of purpose and its insistence that accessibility is not optional, secondary, or cosmetic—it is foundational. For museums seeking to fulfill their educational and cultural missions in a digital age, the ideas embodied by AccessibleMuseum.com remain essential.