Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum Website Redesign

Brew City Marketing collaborated with the Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum (WCHSM) for a website redesign, enhancing its visual appeal, usability, and accessibility. The website’s new design highlights WCHSM’s mission to preserve and promote the rich history of Waukesha County, making it more engaging for visitors and supportive of their educational and research offerings.

Objectives

The primary objectives of the redesign included:

• Enhanced Visual Appeal: Adding more images, icons, and graphics to break up dense text and create a visually engaging user experience.
• Content Organization: Ensuring that historical information, resources, and events were organized logically, encouraging visitors to explore WCHSM’s offerings more intuitively.
• Responsive Website Design: Creating a mobile-friendly design that allows visitors to access content seamlessly from any device.
• Ease of Management: Enabling WCHSM staff to update content easily through a user-friendly CMS and provide training for staff on how to make updates.

Key Features and Enhancements

• Educational Content Sections: Updated sections for the Huelsman Family Research Center and K-12 education programs with a dedicated photo slider, showcasing program highlights and enticing visual elements.
• Interactive Historical Marker Section: Improved layout for historical markers, with a visual redesign to increase engagement and interest, featuring a key highlight on the Les Paul marker.
• Digital Resource Library: Redesigned the digital resources section with a Pinterest-like layout, using tiles and video thumbnails to make the content more visually accessible.
• FAQ and Iconography: Introduced iconography to the FAQ section to guide visitors quickly to the information they need, using a clean, visually organized format.
• Special Programs and Events: Added image sliders and teaser photos in educational and youth sections to highlight event offerings, encouraging greater interaction and participation.
• Training and Support: Provided comprehensive training for WCHSM staff on managing and updating the site content, including uploading photos and creating descriptions for new events and exhibits.

The Results

This website redesign project has modernized WCHSM’s digital presence, making historical content more accessible and visually appealing. The site’s updated structure and CMS allow WCHSM staff to maintain current, relevant content efficiently, with minimal technical assistance needed. Feedback from WCHSM visitors and staff has been positive, noting improved navigation and aesthetics.