San Antonio Museum of Art debuts new Web site
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Jan 26, 2007
San Antonio Museum of Art debuts new Web site
Today, Toolbox launched samuseum.org, the new Web site for The San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA), marking a landmark advancement for the museum’s online presence and brand. One of the city’s most respected destinations, SAMA is home to one of the largest collections of Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities in the southern United States. It also houses the largest center for Asian art in the southern U.S. and the most comprehensive collection of Latin American art in the nation. In addition to its public offerings, the museum conducts 500 guided tours and 200 seminars and educational programs annually, all supported by public-private partnerships as well as corporate and individual memberships.
Toolbox’s challenge was to reinforce SAMA’s reputation as a leading arts institution. As a non-profit entity competing with well-funded museums for visitors and supporters, SAMA needed a Web site that would strengthen relationships with students and patrons, and convey not only the depth and breadth of its offerings, but also provide a method for the museum’s staff to easily manage and update event and exhibit information.
Toolbox developed a Web site that brought SAMA’s strengths to the surface. A dynamic, image-rich main page serves up news and information about museum activities and permanent collections, and promotes the museum’s upcoming exhibitions and varied offerings. A back-end Content Management System (CMS) enables non-technical staff to manage and update information.
“As a non-profit arts institution, the San Antonio Museum of Art needs to maximize every marketing and communications opportunity,” said museum director Marion Oettinger, Jr. “We know that a vibrant, always-evolving, easy to navigate Web site is the way to reach the largest audience possible with our message. Toolbox exhaustively researched our profession and helped us position the Museum in a more nationally competitive arena, elevating the SAMA brand. The administrative backend is so easy to update, multiple members of the SAMA staff are able to use the site as their primary form of communication, whether in image reproductions, public relations, educational outreach or retail.”
Since the launch of samuseum.org, SAMA has experienced a significant increase in the number of Web site visitors and a larger percentage of those visitors who sign up for the museum’s e-newsletter. Search engine optimization has moved samuseum.org into the top three Google search results for “San Antonio museum”. “The Web design team at Toolbox has helped us become more technologically forward-thinking as well,” added Oettinger, Jr. “We anticipate growing the site even more with their creative support.”
Toolbox’s challenge was to reinforce SAMA’s reputation as a leading arts institution. As a non-profit entity competing with well-funded museums for visitors and supporters, SAMA needed a Web site that would strengthen relationships with students and patrons, and convey not only the depth and breadth of its offerings, but also provide a method for the museum’s staff to easily manage and update event and exhibit information.
Toolbox developed a Web site that brought SAMA’s strengths to the surface. A dynamic, image-rich main page serves up news and information about museum activities and permanent collections, and promotes the museum’s upcoming exhibitions and varied offerings. A back-end Content Management System (CMS) enables non-technical staff to manage and update information.
“As a non-profit arts institution, the San Antonio Museum of Art needs to maximize every marketing and communications opportunity,” said museum director Marion Oettinger, Jr. “We know that a vibrant, always-evolving, easy to navigate Web site is the way to reach the largest audience possible with our message. Toolbox exhaustively researched our profession and helped us position the Museum in a more nationally competitive arena, elevating the SAMA brand. The administrative backend is so easy to update, multiple members of the SAMA staff are able to use the site as their primary form of communication, whether in image reproductions, public relations, educational outreach or retail.”
Since the launch of samuseum.org, SAMA has experienced a significant increase in the number of Web site visitors and a larger percentage of those visitors who sign up for the museum’s e-newsletter. Search engine optimization has moved samuseum.org into the top three Google search results for “San Antonio museum”. “The Web design team at Toolbox has helped us become more technologically forward-thinking as well,” added Oettinger, Jr. “We anticipate growing the site even more with their creative support.”
