Transforming IMMA’s digital presence to make over 3,500 artworks accessible and engaging online

Overview

IMMA is Ireland’s leading national cultural institution for modern and contemporary art, home to a collection of more than 3,500 artworks and a vibrant programme of exhibitions, events and learning initiatives. SOHO was tasked with reimagining IMMA’s digital platform to better reflect the scale, ambition and accessibility of the museum - both onsite and online.

The result is a robust, future‑proofed website that makes IMMA’s collection and programmes easier to explore, supports commercial activity through the IMMA Shop, and provides a flexible digital foundation for the museum’s evolving needs.

The Challenge

IMMA’s existing website struggled to support the breadth of content produced by the museum. Users found it difficult to navigate between exhibitions, the permanent collection, events and editorial content, while internal teams were constrained by an inflexible CMS and fragmented content structures.

Key challenges included:

Making a large and complex art collection accessible to diverse audiences
Improving navigation across exhibitions, events, learning and archival content
Supporting e‑commerce through the IMMA Shop without disrupting the cultural experience
Meeting modern accessibility standards for a public institution
Creating a scalable platform that could evolve with IMMA’s programming

The goal was not simply a redesign, but a strategic rethink of how IMMA presents itself digitally.

Our Approach

Discovery & Strategy
We began with in‑depth discovery workshops with IMMA’s internal teams to understand user needs, organisational goals and content workflows. This informed a clear digital strategy focused on clarity, accessibility and long‑term scalability.

Information Architecture & UX
Given the volume and variety of content, information architecture was critical. We restructured the site around intuitive user journeys, allowing visitors to move seamlessly between:

Exhibitions and events
The permanent collection and artists
Editorial and learning content
Commercial experiences via the IMMA Shop

Clear navigation patterns and content hierarchies ensure both first‑time and repeat visitors can quickly find what they’re looking for.

Design
The design balances IMMA’s cultural authority with a contemporary, flexible visual system. Clean layouts, considered typography and generous white space allow artworks and imagery to take centre stage, while the system adapts easily across exhibitions, editorial content and commerce.

Development & CMS
We delivered a custom, robust CMS that empowers IMMA’s team to manage content efficiently across departments. Modular templates allow for rapid publishing while maintaining consistency and quality across the site.

Accessibility & Performance
As a national cultural institution, accessibility was a core requirement. The site was built with WCAG best practices in mind, ensuring inclusive access across devices, screen readers and assistive technologies - without compromising on design or performance.

E‑commerce Integration
The IMMA Shop was seamlessly integrated into the wider experience, enabling visitors to browse and purchase products without leaving the museum’s digital ecosystem.