Case Study: Smithsonian Science Education Center

How do you boost your mission?

The Challenge

The Smithsonian Science Education Center's mission is to transform how science is taught in schools. It needed a website that could accommodate a wide range of users and engage visitors across a complex journey.

Markets & Services

Positioning

Elevate your case

Smithsonian wants to do more than just sell science kits. It wants to drive a cultural shift in how elementary and middle schools approach science instruction. We structured their site to provide more context around why science matters, added support for teachers to get funding and implement new lesson plans, and improved the case study format so educators could glean tips and tricks needed to support their efforts.

BRANDING

Bring your brand to life

We designed the site to convey the sense of wonder, curiosity and exploration that science evokes. Colorful line drawings and distinctive fonts infuse the site with a playful but sophisticated vibe. Shortened text blocks work in harmony with the graphics to build understanding.

PRODUCTS

Make the sale

Smithsonian wasn't used to thinking like a traditional curriculum publisher. We created new product pages with better use of content. Shorter descriptions summarize key information, and clear calls-to-action guide users. A faceted search with a simplified taxonomy and a visual grid showcase the product offerings.

TOOLS

Arm your advocates

Smithsonian wants to build a movement of educators who advocate for the cause and promote the use of its kits. We helped them position their educator resources for maximum usability — kids games and videos, teacher training events and webinars are categorized and searchable in a friendly resource center. We created a success stories template that lets districts share their stories, and we placed social sharing opportunities throughout the site so users can easily share their tips and tricks.

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