While digital engagement is more essential than ever, museums continue to face the technological challenge, and the opportunity, of transforming how visitors interact with collections. For institutions committed to inclusivity, accessibility, and innovation, Gallery Systems’ eMuseum stands out as a powerful platform that’s reimagining what digital collection access can look like.
From customizable displays to advanced analytics, eMuseum is a bridge between physical and digital worlds, built to serve both institutions and the diverse audiences they engage.
Rethinking Accessibility Through Digital Innovation
Museums are spaces for learning, reflection, and inspiration, but for visitors who are blind or visually impaired, traditional exhibitions often fall short. Labels are frequently inaccessible, object information is limited and tactile engagement is rare. Recognizing this gap, many museums have begun adopting more inclusive practices such as tactile tours, 3D replicas or raised line drawings that allow visitors the ability to explore the artworks through touch.
eMuseum enhances these physical efforts by creating a parallel, multisensory digital experience. It empowers institutions to deliver detailed, accessible content that complements the physical gallery space.
Museum visitor using a QR code at an exhibition to access additional information.
One particularly impactful application is the use of QR codes in-gallery, which link directly to accessible eMuseum records. To ensure blind and visually impaired visitors can benefit from this feature, museums should accompany QR codes with braille signage; this communicates the code’s presence non-visually. (See Enhancing Accessibility: The Power of Braille QR Codes and How to Braille a QR Code for best practices.) Once identified, visitors can scan the QR code using their mobile device and be taken to a tailored digital page that includes:
- Screen-reader-friendly metadata
eMuseum supports screen reader accessibility by leveraging metadata entered into the TMS Suite. When institutions add descriptive metadata, such as through TMS Media Studio or directly in the object record, it automatically carries over to the corresponding eMuseum record. This ensures that accessible image descriptions and contextual information are available online without duplicating work. - Audio descriptions of artworks or objects
Institutions can include audio descriptions to provide a rich, narrated interpretation of visual elements. These recordings describe the appearance, style, and context of artworks or objects, helping blind and visually impaired users form a mental image and better understand the work’s significance. Audio descriptions can be embedded directly into TMS records, giving users the flexibility to listen at their own pace. - Transcripts and alt text for images and videos
Text-based alternatives such as transcripts for audio content and alt text for images and video frames offer essential access for users relying on screen readers. eMuseum supports the inclusion of these elements, enabling institutions to comply with accessibility standards while providing visitors with multiple ways to engage with digital content. - High-contrast layouts and scalable text options
eMuseum’s responsive design includes built-in options for high-contrast color schemes and text scaling, improving legibility for users with low vision. These visual adjustments can be made directly in the browser or device settings, ensuring that visitors can customize their experience to suit their specific needs.
These features empower blind and visually impaired visitors to explore collections independently, often gaining richer context than what is available on physical signage.
Interactive museum video stations with accessible transcripts and alt text.
Supporting Accessible Museum Websites
Accessible design extends beyond the gallery walls. eMuseum also helps museums maintain inclusive, standards-compliant digital experiences across their public websites. Built with web accessibility in mind, eMuseum ensures that collections are not only searchable and beautifully displayed, but also usable for individuals with varying access needs.
Key web-accessibility features include:
- Screen-reader compatibility through semantic HTML and ARIA support, allowing all page elements such as menus, search filters, object records to be interpreted correctly by assistive technologies.
- Alt text and metadata integration, where image descriptions and object details added in TMS automatically populate the front-end, reducing duplication of effort while meeting WCAG compliance.
- Keyboard navigation and focus control, helping users who rely on non-mouse input devices move seamlessly through the site.
- Responsive layouts and text scaling, so users can adjust viewing settings without losing structure or clarity.
These capabilities ensure that eMuseum becomes an extension of the museum’s accessibility mission, serving remote users just as inclusively as those visiting in person.
Engaging Visitors in Dynamic and Personalized Ways
Beyond accessibility, eMuseum enables museums to create an engaging, personalized experience for all visitors. Through features like “My Collections,” users can curate their own galleries, bookmark favorite objects, and even collaborate on shared collections—useful for educators, scholars, and community programs.
Visitors can also enjoy:
- Immersive media such as 3D models, videos, and audio
- “You may also be interested in…” recommendations
- Multilingual access through Unicode compliance and automatic locale detection
These tools not only encourage exploration but foster deeper emotional connections to objects, especially when visitors can revisit and reflect on their personalized digital collections after leaving the physical museum.
To help institutions better understand and serve these online audiences, eMuseum also integrates with third-party tools such as Google Analytics, Semrush, and others. These integrations provide valuable insights into user behavior, page performance, and search visibility. With access to this data, museums can make informed decisions to enhance content, improve accessibility, and optimize the overall user experience.
Family exploring archival materials on a museum touchscreen display.
Seamless Integration and Streamlined Management
For museum professionals, eMuseum’s strength lies in its seamless integration with the TMS Suite, allowing for real-time publishing of collections without duplicating effort. Whether you’re managing a permanent exhibition or promoting a temporary installation, eMuseum enables your team to:
- Push curated records live directly from TMS Collections or TMS for Windows
- Use the robust API to build custom applications or interact with external systems
- Track user behavior and page engagement with built-in analytics
This tight integration ensures consistency, accuracy, and efficiency. This allows staff to focus on content and engagement rather than logistics.
eMuseum screen view featuring 18th-century objects from the collection.
Empowering Data-Driven Engagement
Understanding how users interact with your collection is crucial to making informed decisions. eMuseum offers powerful analytics, providing insights into:
- Most-viewed objects and media
- Search trends and filter usage
- Popular shared pages across social media
This data allows museums to refine their digital strategy, optimize user journeys, and highlight underexplored areas of the collection.
A Platform for a More Inclusive Future
Today’s museums are not only stewards of cultural heritage but also agents of change. Accessibility, inclusivity, and engagement are no longer optional, they are central to a museum’s mission.
With eMuseum, institutions can meet these challenges head-on. Whether it’s through mobile-friendly pages that reach visitors anywhere, QR codes unlocking access for the blind, or advanced multimedia experiences, eMuseum provides the infrastructure and flexibility needed to democratize access to collections and deepen public engagement.
As the lines between the physical and digital continue to blur, platforms like eMuseum are helping museums evolve into hybrid spaces that welcome everyone regardless of ability, background, or location.
Ready to explore how eMuseum can help your institution create more inclusive, engaging digital experiences? Speak to an expert today.
