Behind the Build: Virtual Museum Experience

Museums and art houses are rapidly shifting how they engage with audiences. In a world where physical presence isn’t always possible, creating immersive virtual exhibitions has become not just a nice-to-have, but a necessity.

This breakdown explores how we helped one of our clients, Miami MOCAD, develop a seamless and interactive virtual exhibit experience — one that allows visitors to explore the art and culture of their institution from anywhere in the world.

The Shift to Virtual: More Than Just Replicating the Space

When Miami MOCAD approached us, the goal was clear: design a digital experience that could replicate — and even enhance — the in-person feel of walking through their exhibitions. Today’s audience expects more than just images and text on a screen. They want movement, storytelling, and interactivity.

We built out a custom section on their website showcasing current exhibitions with rich overviews, embedded media, and immersive visuals. Users can navigate through artwork, watch video walkthroughs, and even explore spaces via VR-enabled previews.

Artist-Centric Design: Elevating the Creators

Beyond the exhibits themselves, we wanted to create a deeper connection between the audience and the artists. So we integrated a robust artist database directly into the CMS. Each artist profile includes a detailed biography, their unique themes and styles, and connections to other related artists and pieces.

It’s not just about viewing the art — it’s about understanding the minds behind it.

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Community Murals: A City-Wide Experience

Miami MOCAD also has public murals placed throughout the city. To amplify these installations, we developed dedicated landing pages for each one — designed to give users all the context they need before they even visit.

Each mural page begins with a scannable QR code that links directly to additional information, optimized for mobile devices. The pages include a clear overview of the mural’s background, the physical dimensions, and the story behind its creation. Visitors can also dive deeper into the artist's profile, which is tied directly into the same CMS system used for the exhibitions.

To push things further, we incorporated an interactive 3D, 360-degree view of the artist in action — offering the option to explore that moment in augmented reality. It’s a compelling way to blur the lines between physical and digital space. These mural pages also feature interactive hotspots — clickable speech bubbles layered on the artwork that reveal video interviews, community contributions, and behind-the-scenes narratives from local residents.

Integrating Social Proof and Oral Histories

Social context and authenticity are major pillars of the virtual experience. So we made sure to include photography of real people engaging with each mural — not just as visitors, but as part of the story. We captured oral histories from those who inspired, contributed to, or were impacted by the artwork, highlighting themes of civil rights, courage, and community identity.

Each mural also has a direct map integration, letting users pinpoint its exact location and explore nearby murals through curated recommendations. It’s a full-circle moment that bridges exploration with storytelling and turns the city itself into a digital museum.

Best Practices for Virtual Exhibits

From our experience designing this platform, there are a few key takeaways that stand out when it comes to building impactful virtual museum experiences.

1. Prioritize strong visual content. High-resolution images and immersive media like video and 3D walkthroughs are critical to making the experience feel real. Next, think mobile-first — QR codes and responsive design ensure that visitors can access the content easily from any device, especially while on location.
2. Be intentional about artist representation. Go beyond the artwork and highlight the people behind it with thoughtful bios, interviews, and cross-linked content. Incorporate community voices and storytelling — whether through video, audio, or written testimonials — to make the experience more inclusive and grounded.
3. Social validation matters. Show people interacting with the work. Display feedback, quotes, and photos from real visitors. When people see that others are engaging with the art, it creates trust, interest, and a sense of shared experience.

Crafting a digital museum space isn’t just about replicating reality — it’s about enhancing it and making art accessible to anyone, anywhere. For institutions like Miami MOCAD, it’s a way to preserve culture while also pushing it forward into new, tech-enabled dimensions.

If you’re looking to build something similar or want to reimagine your museum’s online experience, Let's Chat! We’d be happy to help bring your vision to life.