Year | 2021
Location | Kelham Island, Sheffield, UK
Client(s) | Sheffield Museums Trust

Internally, Kelham Island Museum appears confusing due to the lack of wayfinding; therefore, some exhibits are overlooked. Kelham Island Routes have rectified these challenges in collaboration with the museum using wayfinding, signage, and other creative techniques. Our group tailored work in response to visitors’ and stakeholders’ ideas, which has benefited our design outputs. Thus, increasing legibility and accessibility, all whilst celebrating Sheffield’s rich heritage and community in the museum.

Categorising our outputs into short, medium, and long term has allowed for realistic expectations for the client. As designers, we have developed high-quality, innovative design proposals for the museum, repeating our methodology of ‘Design, test, reflect and adapt’. Building upon the engagement days, which constantly informed our process, the observational days solidified visitor needs.

We left the client with activity sheets, children’s and adult’s leaflets all to benefit visitor experience at the museum, a comprehensive toolkit that included accurately costed ideas for future proposals, a range of signage including character cardboard cutouts, floor arrows and a flexible standing sign, a defined main route as well as an interactive game where users collect items which both ensure visitors see the whole exhibition. Moreover, we developed an interactive website and featured QR codes in our proposals to engage a younger demographic that the museum is aspiring to reach.

Kelham Island Routes has given the museum outputs that will be utilised immediately and in the long term to ensure it can keep developing in ways to engage the public whilst improving the visitor experience.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelhamislandroutes/

Credits:

Mentor: Yussur Al-Chokhdar
Client: Kelham Island Museum
Location: Kelham Island, Sheffield, UK
Students: Daisy Clapp, Genevieve Leake, Grace Byrne, Jess Meech, Jingyi Wang, Lucy Stittle, Max Bridge, Sam Kerin, Sasha Yeap, Xin Chen, Yi Li, Yufeng Song, Yuxin Cui

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