Madison Children’s Museum App

Interactive Museum Navigation System

Mobile phone screen displaying the Madison Children's Museum app with options for virtual tour, interactive museum map, and exhibit information.
Mobile phone screen displaying exhibit information with images of children engaging in activities like art, play, and exploration at a museum or educational space.
Floor plan of an interactive museum map showing exhibits, restrooms, elevators, and exits on the second floor.
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Overview

This app project was created for the Madison Children’s Museum to enhance the visitor experience through an interactive and user-friendly design. The main goal of this project was to help families and children navigate the museum more easily and engage with exhibits in a fun and educational way. Key features of the app include an interactive museum map, a virtual tour guide and exhibit information.

Problems

The museum’s existing website was outdated and heavily text-based.

Parents didn’t have time to read long descriptions to find essential information.

Families struggled to understand which exhibits were suitable for their children.

Lack of visual guidance made navigating the museum confusing and time-consuming.

Solutions

Designed an interactive museum map to help families navigate easily.

Created an engaging virtual tour guide that allows users to explore the museum visually.

Developed streamlined exhibit information pages with quick, clear details for parents.

Enabled families to plan their visit more efficiently and create a smoother, more enjoyable experience for children.

Wireframes

Screenshots of the Madison Children's Museum app interface showing a virtual tour guide, interactive museum map, menu options with links to home, buy tickets, programs and events, visit us, about us, donate, settings, and FAQs. The exhibit informatio
Screenshots of a mobile app interface for a children's museum, displaying sections for 'Nice Age Trail,' 'Programs and Events,' and 'Classes & Workshop'; each section contains descriptive text and images related to museum activities, classes, and exh
Screenshots of an interactive museum map app with details of exhibits on the first and second floors, and a photo of a play area with wood climbing structures, slides, and play huts.
Photos of different areas inside Madison Children's Museum, including the main entrance, Wilder Nest play area with climbing structures, and The Nice Age Trail with educational displays and pretend trees.

User Personas

Profile of Jenny, a 32-year-old real estate agent in Madison, WI, with a photo of her holding a 'Home for Sale' sign outside a house, and a personality chart showing her traits as introverted, analytical, busy, messy, independent, passive, and safe.
A profile of Mark, a 40-year-old engineer from Middleton, WI, with a photo of him smiling at a desk with a computer and coding on the screen. Text describes his bio, personality traits, and preferences for a museum visit, emphasizing his analytical,
A digital profile of Olivia, a 9-year-old homeschooling student from Chicago, IL, showing her personality traits with sliders, a photo of her and an adult reading together, and a biographical description.

User Flows

Persona: Jenny

Her son and daughter, both in elementary school, are looking forward to their upcoming class field trip to the Madison Children’s Museum. To support them, Jenny wants to use the museum’s mobile app to take a quick look at the interactive museum map and get brief, easy-to-read information about the exhibits, helping her kids feel more prepared and excited for their visit.

Flowchart diagram showing different ways to explore a museum. The main category is 'Home,' which branches into 'Interactive Museum Map,' 'Virtual Tour Guide,' and 'Exhibit Information.' The 'Interactive Museum Map' leads to an icon of a thumbs-up accompanied by the text 'Explores museum.'

Persona: Mark

Mark wants to quickly find information about the exhibits through the mobile app. He is looking for clear details about what each exhibit offers, what age group it’s best for, and how it can spark Emma’s curiosity. Having easy access to exhibit information helps Mark plan their visit and create a more engaging and fun experience for his daughter.

Flowchart diagram of a virtual museum guide, including options for an interactive map, virtual tour, exhibit information, and a wilderness adventure.

Persona: Olivia

Olivia is a curious and creative homeschooling student who loves exploring new things from the comfort of her home. She enjoys using her tablet for learning and is always looking for fun, interactive ways to discover the world.

Flowchart for a virtual museum tour guide, highlighting options for interactive museum map, exhibit information, and exploring the museum.

Iterations

Final

1st

2nd

Screenshots of a mobile app showing an interactive museum map with three floors, including exhibit locations and floor plans.
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Style Tile

A color palette chart showing various shades of orange, cream, green, and gray with their hexadecimal color codes, organized into main, secondary, accent, and additional color sections.
A collection of text samples showcasing different font styles and sizes, including semi-bold, medium, and regular weights of the Poppins font.
Stylized illustration of a cityscape with colorful buildings, a star emblem, and a bright yellow explosion-like shape on a purple background.
A map guide with various labeled sections including Admission, Wonderground, Wilderness, The Nice Age Trail, Art Studio, Possible-opolis, Trash Lab, Gerbil Wheel, Lunch Box Cafe, Bathroom, Exit, and Elevator, each represented by different colored circles.
Mobile app menu for Madison Children's Museum with options such as Home, Buy Tickets, Programs and Events, Visit Us, About Us, Donate, Settings, and FAQs.
Screenshot of a virtual museum tour app with three sections: Virtual Tour Guide, Interactive Museum Map, and Exhibit Information, each with a call-to-action button.
Screen displaying a math or coding app with an orange 'X' symbol, equal sign, exclamation mark inside a circle, scrabble letter tiles with a less-than sign inside a dashed purple box, and magnifying glass icons for zooming.
Sign explaining rules for a Gerbil Wheel and Admission at an exhibit or zoo.

Next Steps

The next phase of development focuses on creating a more seamless connection between the interactive museum map and the virtual tour guide. Users will be able to select a location on the interactive map and tap a “Take Me There” button, which will transition them directly into the virtual tour guide and display a clear path toward their chosen exhibit. This enhancement will provide more intuitive wayfinding, reduce confusion for first-time visitors, and support families as they navigate the museum with confidence and ease.

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