Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

Owned by Tona Monjo
Last updated: May 08, 2009Version comment
6 min read

General information

URL: http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/
City / Country: Bilbao / Spain
Theme: Art
Languages: Español / Euskera / English / Français
Platforms: Web, Mobile
Web accessibility: AA W3C level WCAG 1.0
Mission: "The mission of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is to collect, conserve, and study modern and contemporary art, to exhibit the art of our times from a variety of perspectives in the context of art history, and to reach a broad and diverse audience."
(http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/el_museo/la_mision.php?idioma=en)
Outstanding characteristics: This website is rich in contents and resources. It is worth pointing out that it maintains design consistency throughout all pages, even when it jumps to secondary websites.

Maps

Floor plans

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/planea_visita/informacion_museo_avisos.php?idioma=en
Static map of the museum, with exhibitions graphically indicated on it.
Below the map of every floor, there are links to information about current exhibits.

Virtual Tour

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/visita_virtual/visita_virtual.php?idioma=en
3D interactive animation that allows user to visit the building, and know its details.
Opens in a new window.

Exhibitions

The collection

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/la_coleccion/fondos_propios.php?idioma=en
Allows user to visit the museum collection. User can:

  • Search an artist on a pull-down menu
  • Browse latest acquisitions.

Each piece drives to a page with tabbed information: 

  • Technical sheet
  • Description
  • Video and audio
  • More info (usually links to exhibition)
    Number of tabs is variable (it depends on the piece).

This page also contains 2 options:

  • Send to a friend
  • Printable version (html)

Art program

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/programacion_artistica/agenda_presentaciones_exposiciones.php?idioma=en
Contains information about current and past exhibitions.
User can:

  • Search an exhibition by year or by keyword.
  • Browse exhibitions by years.

Each exhibition page displays tabbed information: 

  • Keys (general info)
  • Description
  • Photos
  • Video and audio
  • More info
    Number of tabs is variable (it depends on the exhibition).

This page also contains 2 options:

  • Send to a friend
  • Printable version (html)

And, depending on the exhibition, it can contain more options like, for instance:

Resources

Conservation

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/investigacion/conservacion_linea_trabajo.php?idioma=en
Conservation department develops websites with a strong pedagogical vocation (example: http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/investigacion/un_picasso_escondido/en.html)
These sites open in a new window, and preserve a look-and-feel consistent with the main site.

Press Room

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/area_de_prensa/notas_de_prensa.php?idioma=en
User can download different types of files related to the activity of the museum. He can browse, or search it.

Resource units

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/docentes/docentes_didacticas.php?idioma=en
Educators can download different education resource units for each exhibition or display (pdf files).

Multimedia

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/multimedia/multimedia.php?idioma=en
User can view and download multimedia resources:

  • Videos
  • Downloadable audio files
  • Screensavers and wallpapers
  • Multimedia e-card (to send to friends)

Download area

http://docu.guggenheim-bilbao.es/index.php
From this section user can access and download documents of interest to him.
Opens in a popup window.

Online activities

Museum activities

Games

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/ninyos_y_familias/juegos.php?idioma=en
Flash games for kids.

Printables

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/ninyos_y_familias/imprimibles.php?idioma=en
Allows kids to print drawings, to cut out and color.

Visit planning

Visitor information

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/planea_visita/informacion_museo_tarifas.php?idioma=en
Contains all information about admission fees, hours, gallery updates, etc.
User can buy his tickets online (http://212.55.30.76:8080/EuromusLink_jsp/Activitats.jsp?IDIOMA=4).

GOOD PRACTICE Information is also available for mobile devices.

Quick calendar

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/planea_visita/agenda_rapida.php?idioma=en
GOOD PRACTICE Offers a customized museum agenda, having into account the date of visit and the type of visitor.

Visit follow-up

No special features to follow-up the visit.

Online community

WikiEducators

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/docentes/wikidocentes.php?idioma=en

E-card

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/tu_visita/vamos_guggenheim/eng/visualizacion.php?id=3&timestamp=1190190201
GOOD PRACTICE User can send multimedia e-cards to invite friends to visit the museum.
Every e-card is composed by:

  • An image
  • A sound-track
  • A caption

Mobile features

Visitor information

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/multimedia/moviles.php?idioma=en
User can install an application in his mobile device that will provide you with all the information he need about the Museum: hours of operation, the schedule for Permanent Exhibitions, recommendations, etc.
He'll also find all the latest information on Temporary Exhibitions and displays from the Permanent Collection.

Activity alerts

GOOD PRACTICE A customized alert system is available to Museum Members who wish to receive mobile-phone alerts about the activities they're most interested in. User must sign up.

Searching & browsing

This website displays a vertical main menu at the left of the pages, with 5 sections:

  • Main options
  • Links to Education oriented content
  • Services
  • Search
  • Link to other Guggenheim group websites

There's always a breadcrumb at the top of the page.

Specific information about exhibitions or pieces of the collection is tabbed.

Search box appears permanently at the bottom of the left menu.
Simple search. Not advanced search.
When a section contains a large catalogue of items, there are specific search engines. See, for instance:

Site map

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/pie/mapa_web.php?idioma=en
Site index (clickable hierarchical tree)

Subscription

Newsletters and alerts

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/suscripciones/boletines_y_alertas.php?idioma=en
User can subscribe to:

  • Monthly newsletter
  • E-mail alerts about specific events
  • Mobile alerts

RSS

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/suscripciones/sindicacion_RSS.php?idioma=en

Online transactions

Museum members

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/amigos_del_museo/que_es.php?idioma=en
User can become a member of the museum, by filling an online form.
This form is sequential, so user cannot advance to the next step until all required fields are correctly filled.

Private access area

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/amigos_del_museo/ventajas_zona_privada.php?idioma=en
User must log in to access to private area.

Contact us

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/pie/contacto.php?idioma=en

Your suggestions

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/docentes/docentes_sugerencias.php?idioma=en
http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/ninyos_y_familias/sugerencias.php?idioma=en
http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/jovenes/sugerencias.php?idioma=en

Tickets

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/reservas_y_entradas/compra_entradas.php?idioma=en
User can purchase tickets. Form opens in a pop up window.
Payment method: Virtual TPV

Online shop

http://tienda.guggenheim-bilbao.es/Home.aspx
Opens in a popup window.
Its design is consistent with the main website design.

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