🧭 BROAD OVERVIEW
🧭 BROAD OVERVIEW
Museums and art galleries hold some of the most culturally significant experiences a person can have — yet most people never walk through their doors. Not because they aren't interested, but because they simply don't know what to expect, where to go, or what's currently on show. Existing platforms don't solve this adequately, leaving a gap between curious people and the cultural experiences they'd actually enjoy. Museo bridges that gap by helping users discover museums and galleries tailored to their location and interests, before they ever leave home.
Museums and art galleries hold some of the most culturally significant experiences a person can have — yet most people never walk through their doors. Not because they aren't interested, but because they simply don't know what to expect, where to go, or what's currently on show. Existing platforms don't solve this adequately, leaving a gap between curious people and the cultural experiences they'd actually enjoy. Museo bridges that gap by helping users discover museums and galleries tailored to their location and interests, before they ever leave home.
🔭 RESEARCH: HYPOTHESIS
🔭 RESEARCH: HYPOTHESIS
Casting the net of my research
Casting the net of my research
Casting the net of my research
I started by identifying what I suspected was getting in the way of people visiting museums and galleries more often, and landed on these hypotheses:
1
1
1
People don't visit museums because they don't know what's currently being exhibited.
People don't visit museums because they don't know what's currently being exhibited.
People don't visit museums because they don't know what's currently being exhibited.
2
2
2
People are unsure whether a museum or gallery will match their personal interests.
People are unsure whether a museum or gallery will match their personal interests.
3
3
3
People don't know where to find reliable, detailed information about museums, showtimes, artists, exhibitions in one place.
People don't know where to find reliable, detailed information about museums, showtimes, artists, exhibitions in one place.
🔭 RESEARCH:
DISCOVERY
🔭 RESEARCH: DISCOVERY
Validating the hypothesis
Validating the hypothesis
Validating the hypothesis
I conducted a survey with 35 respondents to validate whether the pain points I identified were real and widespread.
54.3% had visited a museum before, making their perspective relevant to the problem I was solving.
Of the respondents who don't go to museums, 22.2% said they don't know what to expect
Of the respondents who don't go to museums, 18.5% don't know where museums are located.
Of the respondents who don't go to museums, 11.1% are unaware of current exhibitions
When asked where they look for museum information, 50% turn to Google
When asked where they look for museum information, 42.3% use social media
🎯 USER GOALS
🎯 USER GOALS
Based on the hypothesis and research, the core goals of the user are:
Based on the hypothesis and research, the core goals of the user are:
1
1
1
To discover museums and galleries that match their personal interests.
To discover museums and galleries that match their personal interests.
2
2
2
To know what is currently being exhibited before deciding to visit.
To know what is currently being exhibited before deciding to visit.
3
3
3
To find reliable location and timing information quickly and easily.
To find reliable location and timing information quickly and easily.
4
4
4
To save and revisit places they want to explore later.
To save and revisit places they want to explore later.
🎯 USER STORIES
🎯 USER STORIES
To guide the design process, I created user stories that reflect the needs identified in the research:
To guide the design process, I created user stories that reflect the needs identified in the research:
To guide the design process, I created user stories that reflect the needs identified in the research:
As a user, I want to find museums near me based on my location, so I don't have to search across multiple platforms.
As a user, I want to find museums near me based on my location, so I don't have to search across multiple platforms.
As a user, I want to filter discoveries by my interests, so I see exhibitions that are actually relevant to me.
As a user, I want to filter discoveries by my interests, so I see exhibitions that are actually relevant to me.
As a user, I want to see detailed exhibition information; artists, showtimes, descriptions — so I can decide whether it's worth visiting.
As a user, I want to see detailed exhibition information; artists, showtimes, descriptions — so I can decide whether it's worth visiting.
As a user, I want to save locations I'm interested in and organize them into collections, so I can plan visits at my own pace.
As a user, I want to save locations I'm interested in and organize them into collections, so I can plan visits at my own pace.
Enter 🖼️Museo
Enter 🖼️Museo
Enter 🖼️Museo
Museo is a discovery app that helps users find museums and art galleries based on their geographical location and personal interests. It gives users the context they need to actually show up — exhibition details, ratings, tickets, and saved locations all in one place.
Museo is a discovery app that helps users find museums and art galleries based on their geographical location and personal interests. It gives users the context they need to actually show up — exhibition details, ratings, tickets, and saved locations all in one place.
Interest-based discovery
Interest-based discovery
Location-aware recommendations
Location-aware recommendations
Exhibition info and ticketing
Exhibition info and ticketing
Saved collections
Saved collections
Onboarding
Onboarding
The onboarding experience sets the tone immediately. Users are welcomed with rich imagery of artwork to build anticipation, then prompted to select their interests and share their location. This upfront personalization means the app is already tailored to them before they reach the home screen.
The onboarding experience sets the tone immediately. Users are welcomed with rich imagery of artwork to build anticipation, then prompted to select their interests and share their location. This upfront personalization means the app is already tailored to them before they reach the home screen.
Home Screen
Home Screen
Home Screen
The home screen surfaces museums and galleries recommended based on the user's location and selected interests, displayed in a carousel format for easy browsing. Users can also explore beyond their immediate area by switching locations directly from the home screen.
The home screen surfaces museums and galleries recommended based on the user's location and selected interests, displayed in a carousel format for easy browsing. Users can also explore beyond their immediate area by switching locations directly from the home screen.
The home screen surfaces museums and galleries recommended based on the user's location and selected interests, displayed in a carousel format for easy browsing. Users can also explore beyond their immediate area by switching locations directly from the home screen.
Info Screen
Info Screen
Info Screen
Each gallery or museum has a dedicated info page with everything a user needs to make a decision — ratings from past visitors, current exhibitions, and options to save the location for later, purchase tickets, or leave a review after visiting.
Each gallery or museum has a dedicated info page with everything a user needs to make a decision — ratings from past visitors, current exhibitions, and options to save the location for later, purchase tickets, or leave a review after visiting.
Each gallery or museum has a dedicated info page with everything a user needs to make a decision — ratings from past visitors, current exhibitions, and options to save the location for later, purchase tickets, or leave a review after visiting.
Search
Search
Search
The search screen lets users actively look for specific venues while also surfacing suggestions based on their location and past interests. It's designed for both intent-driven and exploratory discovery.
The search screen lets users actively look for specific venues while also surfacing suggestions based on their location and past interests. It's designed for both intent-driven and exploratory discovery.
The search screen lets users actively look for specific venues while also surfacing suggestions based on their location and past interests. It's designed for both intent-driven and exploratory discovery.
Saved
Saved
Saved
Previously saved locations live here, organized into user-created collections. This gives users a personal shortlist they can return to when planning their next visit.
Previously saved locations live here, organized into user-created collections. This gives users a personal shortlist they can return to when planning their next visit.
Previously saved locations live here, organized into user-created collections. This gives users a personal shortlist they can return to when planning their next visit.
Settings
Settings
Settings
Users can update their profile, manage payment details for ticket purchases, view purchased tickets, add or remove addresses, and learn more about the app.
Users can update their profile, manage payment details for ticket purchases, view purchased tickets, add or remove addresses, and learn more about the app.
Users can update their profile, manage payment details for ticket purchases, view purchased tickets, add or remove addresses, and learn more about the app.
Visual Design
Visual Design
The colour palette was pulled directly from African art — the rich browns, warm oranges, and creamy neutrals that already live in the textures of wooden sculptures, woven baskets, and hand-dyed fabrics. The goal was for the app to feel immediately familiar to users who engage with this kind of art; like the interface itself belongs in the space it's helping you navigate.
The colour palette was pulled directly from African art — the rich browns, warm oranges, and creamy neutrals that already live in the textures of wooden sculptures, woven baskets, and hand-dyed fabrics. The goal was for the app to feel immediately familiar to users who engage with this kind of art; like the interface itself belongs in the space it's helping you navigate.
The five colours — #291705, #C56E1E, #F5E7D4, #FFFCF8, and #FFFFFF — move from deep earthy brown to soft warm white, creating a palette that feels grounded and warm without being heavy.
The five colours — #291705, #C56E1E, #F5E7D4, #FFFCF8, and #FFFFFF — move from deep earthy brown to soft warm white, creating a palette that feels grounded and warm without being heavy.
What I Learnt
Museo taught me how much context matters in discovery. People aren't disinterested in culture, they're just under-informed. Designing for that gap meant thinking beyond search and into anticipation: what does someone need to feel confident enough to show up somewhere new? If I had more time, I'd explore a social layer where users could see which exhibitions friends have visited or saved, turning solo discovery into a shared experience.
I'd also include an AR experience for the users