The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) has unveiled its newly redesigned digital presence — a project conceived and executed in close collaboration with OWDT. The new MFAH.org is a seamless fusion of art, architecture, and engineering, reflecting the museum’s stature as one of the largest and most distinguished cultural institutions in the United States.
What began as a digital refresh evolved into a full-scale reimagination of how a museum website can represent its physical counterpart — both visually and structurally. Together, MFAH and OWDT worked to translate the museum’s curatorial precision and architectural integrity into a digital language that feels timeless, elegant, and effortless.
Designing for Art and Space
The new MFAH.org is built on a design system that mirrors the museum’s architectural calm and visual clarity. Every typographic pairing, grid, and image ratio was calibrated to foreground art — not interface. Space, rhythm, and proportion are used as design materials in themselves, creating an experience that feels both editorial and immersive.
Neutral tones, deliberate whitespace, and precise motion design echo the museum’s physical galleries. The result is a digital environment that feels contemplative and confident — where each page operates like a curated exhibition.
Engineering Complexity with Elegance
Beneath the simplicity lies extraordinary complexity. The platform integrates multiple systems — including Testatura, eMuseum, and LTA — all unified within a custom CMS and a powerful Blazor architecture.
Blazor, a relatively new and underutilized technology in design-centric projects, was pushed far beyond its intended purpose. Traditionally used for internal portals, OWDT redefined its potential — creating what may be one of the first large-scale, public-facing Blazor experiences in the world.
To achieve visual and functional cohesion, OWDT’s engineers customized Bootstrap frameworks, developed .NET templates, refined APIs, and engineered cross-platform integrations with precision. The project demanded a high-performance environment, requiring advanced local setups with Docker, Linux distributions, and extensive computing resources.
Despite strict limitations — including institutional restrictions on JavaScript usage and rigorous ADA compliance standards — the final system performs flawlessly, balancing aesthetics with robust technical architecture.
Accessibility, Integrity, and Innovation
The site’s accessibility was central to the design from the beginning. Every module was tested against the latest WCAG standards for color contrast, keyboard navigation, and screen-reader functionality. The new MFAH.org is not only compliant — it is inclusive by design.
This collaboration exemplifies how innovation and cultural stewardship can coexist — how technology can serve art without overshadowing it.
A Partnership Built on Vision
This project represents more than a technical achievement; it is a testament to MFAH’s forward-looking vision. The museum’s digital and curatorial teams worked closely with OWDT through every iteration — guiding the project with clarity, patience, and creative integrity.
Hundreds of hours of shared design, engineering, and testing went into the platform’s creation. The result is a living, evolving digital experience that honors MFAH’s mission and redefines what a museum website can be.
An ambitious collaboration bringing art, architecture, and technology into harmony.
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