The Irish Rock 'n' Roll Museum Experience
Date: May 2024
Duration: 1 week
Role: UI/UX Designer
Located in the heart of Dublin’s vibrant Temple Bar cultural quarter, the Irish Rock n’ Roll Museum Experience showcases the rich history of the Irish music industry over the past 50 years. It offers visitors an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at a functioning music venue and recording studio.
To better reflect its vibrant identity and improve visitor engagement, the museum is embarking on a digital transformation project to develop a new website. The client noted that the website is outdated, difficult to navigate, and lacks seamless booking integration—resulting in missed opportunities to convert interest into visits. This is particularly important as in 2022 the museum noted that they had around 18k visitors and approximately half of these booked through the website. The client wanted the new website to be designed with a bold Rock n’ Roll aesthetic that instantly communicates the museum’s unique appeal. They wanted it to be intuitive, visually striking, and optimized to drive bookings by integrating the reservation system more fluidly into the user experience.
This project is part of Fáilte Ireland’s Digital that Delivers program, which aims to improve digital accessibility for tourism businesses across Ireland, fostering sector growth. The initiative focuses on enhancing digital transformation in visitor experiences to create more engaging and interactive user interactions online.
Website brand identity
The new website for the Irish Rock n’ Roll Museum Experience will keep the previous logo guidelines and will inherit the red and black tones which the museum is known for. This makes certain that the website feels like an extension of the museum itself; immersive, alternative, and full of character. Rather than a conventional or overly polished corporate aesthetic, the site will embrace a lively and rebellious tone that mirrors the raw authenticity of the Irish music scene. Visitors that come to the website should feel like they’re stepping into a virtual guided tour, with every click echoing the aesthetics of the museum so visitors will know what to expect.
The brand palette of red, black, and white reinforces the visual identity that the museum has already established, evoking classic rock vibes while maintaining strong contrast and visual impact. Typography will play a key role in reinforcing the brand’s personality, with PF Fuel used for punchy, expressive headings and Public sans for clean, modern body text and subheadings.
New website refresh
The client wanted a website that was as compelling and immersive as the venue itself—one that delivers a “wow” factor from the first click. The design should strike a balance between bold creativity and practical usability, offering a seamless user journey that’s clean, accessible, and mobile-friendly. The client emphasizes the importance of generous white space, clearly separated sections, and varied layouts not just on the homepage but across all inner pages, ensuring the entire site feels dynamic and engaging.
To convey the experience via the website, high-impact visuals (particularly imagery and video) will play a key role in conveying the atmosphere of the museum. Descriptive yet succinct headlines paired with supportive copy will guide users intuitively through the experience. Inspiration is drawn from sites that the client has reviewed like Windmill Lane Recording Studios, which uses banner video and alternating colour sections to build instant connection and credibility, and the Derry Glad Folk Museum, which excels in layout, calls to action, and testimonial presentation. Elements from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame site, such as memorabilia-inspired graphics and graffiti-style illustrations, are also appealing to the client and a style which they want to adopt.
Immersive Design
Ultimately, the new website should feel like a digital extension of the museum: vibrant, authentic, and full of character, while also being easy to navigate and optimized for conversion. It’s not just a place to get information, it’s part of the experience.
A Design with Impact and Personality
The final design features a bright, clean, and uncluttered layout, prominently displaying bold “Book Now” call-to-action (CTA) buttons to drive conversions. To enhance the user experience, the website combines engaging visuals and charming “doodle-like” graphics with succinct, descriptive headlines, effectively guiding visitors on a clear journey that highlights the company’s offerings and the exciting “Rock n Roll” vibe of the museum.
Smart, User-Centric Web Design That Drives Engagement and Builds Trust
Emphasizing cleanliness, accessibility, and intuitive navigation, the design is also mobile-responsive. A selection of 2-3 clear, legible font families provides variety without overwhelming users. The eye-catching CTA buttons are strategically placed to encourage conversions. The homepage is augmented with social proof through Tripadvisor testimonials, reinforcing trust and authenticity, complemented by well-positioned buttons inviting users to either “Book Now” or “Learn More.” Sticky navigation enhances usability throughout the site, while a thoughtfully organized footer directs users to essential booking pages.
