Industry
Ecommerce / Heritage & Culture
Client
The British Museum
British Museum: Platform Migration & Brand Refresh
Bringing world-class heritage into the digital age
The British Museum needed to re-platform its ecommerce store to align with the main Museum's digital brand while addressing critical performance issues. The existing site felt dated and didn't reflect the Museum's standing as a leader in digital cultural experiences. As UI Lead, I directed the complete visual modernisation of the British Museum Shop using Adobe Commerce with the Hyvä theme. Hyvä is a performance-focused framework built for speed and developer flexibility. I worked with internal UX Designers and the British Museum's internal stakeholders. What started as a front-end refresh became a full digital experience aligned with their broader brand. Through a data-led discovery phase alongside audience personas, I designed a mobile-first interface. It prioritises both brand prestige and ecommerce performance. The challenge was creating a modern, accessible experience that felt like a natural extension of the British Museum's main website while delivering the fast, intuitive shopping experience today's global audience expects.
Performance driven brand evolution
The new British Museum Shop launched in May 2025. It delivered immediate improvements in site speed and mobile performance. Built on Adobe Commerce with the Hyvä front-end framework, the platform achieved strong Lighthouse scores. This validated our focus on performance optimisation alongside visual refinement. The redesigned experience now feels like a true digital extension of the Museum itself. Faster, more modern, and better equipped to serve a global audience browsing primarily on mobile devices. The data-driven design approach, informed by analytics and audience personas, ensured every decision supported both user needs and business goals. The modern technical foundation positions the British Museum Shop for continuous optimisation and growth. The Hyvä framework provides the flexibility needed for ongoing improvements while maintaining the performance gains. Key Outcomes: • Launched May 2025 on Adobe Commerce with Hyvä theme • Strong Lighthouse performance scores for speed and mobile • Visual alignment with main British Museum website • Mobile-first responsive design optimised for global audience • Data-driven UX • Modern technical foundation enabling continuous optimisation • WCAG accessibility compliance throughout
