Ahh…summer!

RAM has a new look in time for summer. Rockford Art Museum’s (RAM) Web site has been completely redone to give you a seamless extension of your RAM experience. We evaluated the way our users gather information about RAM events, educational programming, exhibitions and collection artwork. Then, we restructured it to list information in multiple places, as we realize people look for information in different ways. We also gave the Web site a clean, new look to make the information you are searching for easier to find.

The most drastic makeover to the Web site was the Education section. The navigation was designed to relate to the viewer and not just the subject matter. For example, you can find details about a summer class under “Adults” or “Kids and Family” as well as on a “Classes” page. We feel this will make it easier for you to find information relevant to your needs as well as discover an offering that you may not have known was available.

The Collection portion of the Web site is structured by genre (focus area). We included larger details of collection pieces, which can be accessed by clicking on the thumbnail itself or “Larger Image Link.” We hope this will allow you to become more familiar with the collection and the artists, even from your computer! More than 30 artist bios and their pieces are available under the new “Browse by Artist” listing on every page in the Collection section. We also added a calendar of Permanent Collection Exhibitions, which include a focus on specific collection pieces. Plans for phase II of the Web site include making images from the whole collection available online.

You can now find information that was previously not listed, including RAM rentals, available sponsorship opportunities, internships, Art Annex exhibitions, and community resources. The RAM Talks Art archives, dating back to 2007, are also available. You may also find audio from specific gallery walks or lectures if you missed it or want to share! Viewers can also sign up for e-news regarding exhibition openings, educational programming, events, and Rockford Art Museum Store merchandise. Phase II of the Web site will include membership and renewal online.

While this may seem like a lot of changes, I assure you it has been carefully orchestrated. It has been almost a year in development, and we hope the new format will better serve RAM members, visitors and our community. As always, we welcome any comments or suggestions about how to improve our role! Please browse the new Web site at www.rockfordartmuseum.org ^[1].

Contact Rockford Art Museum Graphic Art Director Melissa Seipel at mseipel@rockfordartmuseum.org ^[2].

From the Aug. 5-11, 2009, issue