The Virtual Art Museum
A mobile app concept that helps users discover new art, explore exhibitions nearby, and personalize their museum experience.
Discipline
UX/UI Design, Case Study
Timeline
October - November 2023 (7 weeks)
Tools
Figma, Google Forms
A UX/UI design project creating an interactive platform for discovering art, artists, and exhibitions. The app combines a location-based map, personalized recommendations, and a visual-first interface to make art exploration more accessible and engaging.
While art information is abundant online, it’s often fragmented across different museum sites, making it difficult for casual art enthusiasts to know what to search for or where to start. The goal was to create a centralized, intuitive, and inspiring tool for discovering art in a way that feels personal.
Help people discover new artists, pieces, and exhibitions in their area.
Engage those interested in art but not deeply involved in the art world.
Consolidate information (normally scattered across museum websites) into one accessible, interactive platform
How might we make discovering art and exhibitions more accessible and engaging for casual audiences?
How might we use location-based features to make exhibitions easier to discover in real time?
How might we design a more visual-first experience that replaces the need for audio guides?
How can we personalize art discovery to introduce users to new artists and pieces they might not discover on their own?
Purpose Statement
Guiding Design Questions
Research Methods
User Survey: Collected insights from art students, non-art peers, and people in STEM/business fields using Google Forms. The form was posted on social media and STEM/Business message threads.
Findings Summary:
High general interest in art; no negative responses to visiting museums.
Barriers: not knowing where to begin, difficulty finding relatable art.
Most discovery happens through word of mouth + social media.
Audio guides had low appeal unless free/subsidized.
Quick scroll through of the Google Form sent out to my peers and posted on social media platforms.
How do you find out about exhibitions/museums?
Most people discover museums via word of mouth & social media → need for a strong online presence.
Do you use audio guided or tour guides via person or app?
Users don’t enjoy audio guides → opportunity for a visual-first discovery tool.
To better understand the needs of potential users, I conducted a survey with several participants from both creative and non-creative fields. The results showed that interest in art and museums is consistently high, with no negative responses to visiting art spaces. However, barriers to engagement often stemmed from uncertainty about where to start or difficulty finding art that felt personally meaningful.
Most users learn about exhibitions through word of mouth and social media, underscoring the need for a digital platform that centralizes this information. Respondents also showed a strong preference for visual discovery tools over audio guides, suggesting that scanning and image-based features would better match their habits.
When asked why they don’t enjoy museums, participants cited not knowing where to begin or struggling to find art they liked. This insight emphasized the importance of personalization and recommendations.
In comparing existing tools, I found that Smartify offered a valuable scanning feature but lacked personalization, while SeeSaw helped users find local events but didn’t extend beyond exhibition listings. These gaps highlighted an opportunity to combine location-based discovery with a personalized, for-you feed.
Comparative Analysis
Smartify: strong scanning feature but lacks personalization.
SeeSaw: great for location discovery but event-focused only.
Opportunity: combine personalization + location-based discovery
Final Figma Prototype: