As part of a multi-year renovation, the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum wanted to reimagine its digital experience to better reflect its spirit of innovation and exploration. I led design efforts to create a seamless, story-driven platform that invites visitors, both onsite and online, to deeply engage with the Museum’s vast collection and mission.
As lead designer, I collaborated closely with a UX designer, content strategist, project manager, data & insights strategist, and team of engineers on this engagement.
This opportunity presented several questions we wanted to answer:
In addition to these challenges, we also had several constraints to work within:
Some of the themes we uncovered:
The Museum’s previous digital experience did not fully capture the excitement, innovation, and accessibility of what would become its newly renovated physical spaces. Visitors needed a seamless, immersive way to explore exhibits, engage with content, and plan their visits, whether they were onsite or engaging remotely.
Generating Early Ideas
To create a website as compelling as the Museum itself, we took a deeply collaborative and story-driven approach.
Translating the Museum’s new brand into a digital experience required more than just applying guidelines—it was about crafting an immersive and engaging visual system that felt native to the web while capturing the spirit of discovery.
After establishing the visual direction, as ideas and compositions took shape, a cohesive design system began to emerge. I refined typography, established a flexible color hierarchy, and developed layout principles that balanced clarity with a sense of wonder. The result was a digital experience that felt seamless, engaging, and true to the Museum’s mission.
By reimagining how stories of exploration and innovation are told, we created a visitor-centric platform that is both engaging and accessible. This transformation reinforces the Museum’s role as a global leader in research, historical preservation, and educational outreach.
The redesigned digital experience allows the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum to share its collection with the world, extending its impact far beyond its physical space.
Thoughts for the future:
The launch of the new website was a success, but it marks the beginning of a journey, not the end. As the engagement wrapped up, I considered several open-ended questions that point to exciting opportunities for the future:
In reflecting on the website as just one touchpoint in a larger ecosystem, it became clear that the future holds even more potential to grow, connect, and inspire. This project laid a strong foundation, and there's so much more exploration ahead.