Overview
Located in Stockbridge, MA, the Norman Rockwell Museum is a dynamic institution that not only preserves and interprets the works of Norman Rockwell for a worldwide audience through travelling and permanent exhibitions, but also plans to become the curatorial and research center of the history of American Illustration. Studio Two was hired for a 12 month consultancy focused on transforming the institution’s relationship to the internet.
Challenge
The museum was stuck in a legacy of outdated protocols, systems and perspectives. As a result, this otherwise active organization found itself unable to engage the wider world through the internet effectively. It was not simply a challenge of technology but of institutional culture and fluency. Our task was to change this culture and create a new one that was capable and equipped to engage with the broader world.
Solution
Primary to our solution was introducing and advocating a new belief system:
• Create simple, user-focused and
accessible systems.
• Free up access to technical advice, education and support.
• Create a culture of expression.
• Allow for mistakes and exploration.
• Make internet fluency a core value of the organization.
We worked closely with every department over a year-long period, educating, training, and implementing. Primarily we crafted systems that allowed people in the museum the ability to make decisions, create change, and take control. Visit the website at www.nrm.org.
