National Museum of American History

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History (NMAH) – housing such iconic artifacts as the original Star-Spangled Banner, Muhammad Ali’s boxing gloves, and Dorothy’s ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz” – hosts approximately 2 million annual visitors. Forum One partnered with NMAH for a full website redesign and upgrade to Drupal 9, with the goals of welcoming more diverse audiences and providing a space to discover our shared American history through a modern, inclusive, and forward-looking digital experience.

Forum One first surveyed NMAH staff, held audience and stakeholder interviews, and conducted content and technical audits to present a unified set of recommendations for the new site. Drawing on this roadmap, Forum One developed the new NMAH site with a mobile-friendly, accessible design that reduces text in favor of inclusive photos, bold colors, and striking headlines. We also reorganized content to create a more user-friendly experience for NMAH’s primary audiences, including in-person and digital museum visitors, educators, and researchers.