The Client

The National Gallery in London was founded in 1824 and houses over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900 in its home on Trafalgar Square. The National Gallery website, www.nationalgallery.org.uk currently attracts over 6 million unique visitors each year, exceeding the number of visitors to the gallery itself.

The Challenge

As the popularity and importance of the National Gallery’s website has grown rapidly in recent years, they required a cutting-edge Content Management System to power a content-rich site. It was vital that the new CMS seamlessly integrated with the National Gallery’s existing systems, particularly their collection management system which stores digital versions of, and information on, the Gallery’s collection. To cater for the website’s expected growth and development, a scalable, extensible solution was required. Additionally, the solution needed to cater for the migration of a vast amount of website content and digital assets, including images, documents and a diverse range of media files. With this in mind, it was crucial that the CMS and the published website could provide unparalleled levels of usability and accessibility.

Our Solution

The Amaxus CMS offers the ideal basis for the National Gallery’s web presence; its stability and flexibility provides them with the tools to easily manage their many layers of multimedia content. Amaxus’ comprehensive file management system makes it easy for the Gallery to manage digital versions of their collection, and our team worked to make sure that the CMS integrated seamlessly with their existing systems. Functionality modules were implemented onto the site, along with a bespoke “Zoom Tool” which allows visitors to zoom into incredible detail on any painting. Developed via PHP and AJAX using progressive enhancement technologies, the tool is unique in its accessibility; it does not require plug-ins and can be operated using the keyboard.

The Outcome

The reinvented National Gallery website builds upon the previous site’s content and the Gallery’s vast physical collection, whilst improving user experience and functionality. As it’s powered by Amaxus it can be easily updated and managed by the client, ensuring that the Gallery can keep the site up to date and content-rich. It also provides the possibility of future expansion and adaptation, ensuring that the National Gallery remains one of the most popular museums on the web.

"Amaxus provides the National Gallery with a solid foundation from which to build its online presence," said Charlotte Sexton, Head of New Media at the National Gallery.

For More Information

For more information or to arrange a demo of Amaxus, get in touch.

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