Increasing access to and engagement with collections and programs through digital transformation is one of the National Gallery of Australia’s principal objectives. In partnership with Studio Ongarato and the Interaction Consortium, the Gallery’s new website was completed and launched on December 7, 2021. Over 150 staff and 60 members of the wider community took part in envisioning, designing, and developing the site over 12 months.
Comprising thousands of pages, the new website has generated growth in time spent on the site, and pages viewed per session, both of which illustrate increased user engagement. The website is visited by millions of people each year, almost a quarter of whom live outside Australia.
Landing page 40 Years
An important aspect of the new site is its enhanced collection search function, which better connects content and data. This has seen pages per visit increase from 3.5 to 7. The site also has an on-demand channel with more than 500 video and audio items freely accessible at any time. Visitors can browse by theme to select from long-form documentaries, artist talks, lectures and more. This enables the Gallery to embrace a broadcasting approach to content.
In recognition of the work of National Gallery staff and partners, the website won the Institutional Website and Best in Show categories of the 2022 Museums Australasia Multimedia Publication Design Awards (MAPDA). The National Gallery’s ongoing digital transformation, including the new website and its ongoing development, has been made possible through the generous support of Learning and Digital Patron Tim Fairfax AC.
Landing page