The Hermitage has started work on creating a new generation museum website

From 8 to 13 September 2011 working meetings were held between IBM specialists, invited to develop a strategy for the State Hermitage website, representatives from the Hermitage Fund (USA), the Director of the Hermitage and representatives from the Hermitage Administration, research assistants and technical specialists from the museum.

As part of the meetings, the goals and tasks of modernising the web resource were discussed. The website target audience and information structure were analysed. Issues concerning expanding the website’s functional capabilities using state-of-the-art technology were examined.

During the discussions, 10 of the most important ideas were highlighted which will be the foundation for developing a strategy for the Hermitage website. This included the ideas from the IBM consultants to make a dynamic website, develop a design and an updated information architecture system, provide a simple and efficient search system, the ability to personalise and provide special content for different kinds of users, extend access to information using state-of-the-art technology, create resources for researchers, etc.

The meetings between IBM specialists and Hermitage employees made it possible to determine the outline of the future project, whose aim is to create a state-of-the-art, information rich website which is interesting for the widest possible audience.

The project should be completed by 2014, when the museum celebrates its 250th anniversary.