KNOW YOUR ART GALLERY
To ground the redesign in best practices, I conducted a competitive audit of three leading cultural institutions: Tate Modern, MoMA, and Centre Pompidou. The analysis focused on how each website balances brand identity with usability, using criteria such as: clarity of “Visit” information (hours, pricing, accessibility, directions), structure of exhibitions and programmes, ticketing flow, and overall navigation and content hierarchy. This approach ensured that the redesign for PLATO would not only honor its unique artistic identity but also align with proven standards in cultural website design.
KEY CONCLUSIONS FOR PLATO
The audit revealed that while all three institutions succeed in making practical information accessible, they also risk overloading users with dense navigation and content-heavy layouts. The main lesson for PLATO is to simplify without diluting character: offer direct, streamlined access to essentials (exhibitions, ticketing, visit info, building story) while keeping the bold visual language intact. This balance of clarity and identity became the guiding concept for PLATO’s redesign.