Sample deliverable · Fictional museum example
Make a first visit easier.
A sample website review for a small local history museum.
This is an illustrative example. The museum and findings are fictional. This sample demonstrates the format and level of detail of a website review; it is not client work or an assessment of a real museum.
Scope: Homepage, visitor information, and exhibition pages, viewed from the perspective of someone planning their first visit.
Overall assessment
The site communicates enthusiasm for local history, but planning a visit takes more effort than it should. Hours, admission, directions, and accessibility information appear in separate places. The most useful improvement would be to bring those details together and make them easy to reach from every page.
This review prioritizes three changes that could be made without a full redesign.
Priority 1
Create one dependable “Plan your visit” page.
What I found
Opening hours appear on the homepage, admission prices sit under “About,” and parking information appears only on the contact page. I couldn’t find a clear statement about step-free access.
Why it matters
A first-time visitor needs these details together to decide whether a trip is practical. Missing accessibility information leaves a consequential question unanswered.
Recommended change
Create a “Plan your visit” page containing:
- Opening hours and holiday closures
- Admission prices and payment methods
- Street address, directions, and parking
- Verified accessibility information
- Typical visit length
- A contact option for additional questions
Link to it prominently in the main navigation and from exhibition pages. Confirm these details with museum staff before publishing.
Why first: This addresses the site’s most immediate visitor task.
Priority 2
Give the homepage a clearer invitation.
What I found
The opening section describes the museum’s founding and mission. Visitors must scroll to discover what they can see today.
Why it matters
The museum’s history provides context, but someone considering a visit first needs a reason to come.
Recommended change
Lead with the experience, followed by a current exhibition and a clear visit link. Keep the institutional history further down the page.
Illustrative opening copy
Discover the people, places, and everyday objects that shaped our town.
Explore photographs, personal stories, and changing exhibitions from the museum’s local history collection.
Plan your visit · Explore current exhibitions
The final wording should reflect what the museum actually offers.
Why second: It gives visitors a clearer starting point.
Priority 3
Make exhibition status explicit.
What I found
Past and current exhibitions use the same page layout. Some pages give an opening date without an end date or a visible “Past exhibition” label.
Why it matters
Visitors could reasonably assume that an exhibition is still available. That creates a risk of disappointment when they arrive.
Recommended change
Label each exhibition “Current,” “Upcoming,” or “Past,” with dates near the title. Group current exhibitions together and preserve older pages in an archive.
Why third: This is a relatively small content change that removes avoidable uncertainty.
Suggested sequence
Start by confirming visitor information with staff and assembling the visit page. Then revise the homepage introduction and label exhibition pages.
After publication, ask a few people unfamiliar with the museum to find opening hours, admission, access information, and a current exhibition. Watch where they hesitate. Their experience will help establish whether the changes work.
What a commissioned review would include
A review of your site would identify the pages examined and distinguish observed issues from questions requiring your input. We would agree on the scope, timing, and cost before work begins, then talk through the recommendations together.
This sample does not demonstrate measured results. Improvements in attendance, inquiries, or donations would require supporting evidence.