Museum launches kid-friendly kiosks

The National Children’s Museum has enhanced its Web presence with new touch-screen kiosks powered by software from Bridgeline Digital. The kiosks are located at The Launch Zone at National Harbor, just south of Washington, D.C., where children can prototype exhibit components and programs and share their ideas about what should be included in the museum, which is slated to open there in 2013. The museum, designated by Congress in 2003 with a mission to inspire children to care about and improve the world, currently operates as a “museum without walls.”

The new kiosks--the most recent improvement to the museum’s Web site--and all other phases of the Web site’s development--have been implemented with Bridgeline Digital’s iAPPS product platform. The software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution melds content management, e-commerce, e-marketing and analytics capabilities.

The museum’s Web site, first launched in April 2009, previously used an older generation content management system. NCM wanted an updated CMS that could handle Web site growth better, and eventually selected the SaaS deployment of iAPPS Content Manager and iAPPS Analytics. The new system uses interactive elements like Flash and video, to deliver nearly 10 times more traffic to the site largely due to a search engine optimization strategy, according to Bridgeline Digital.

Ariel Moyer, director of communications and public affairs at the museum, says, “The Bridgeline team has delivered a superior overall solution for us throughout the course of our multiyear relationship. The iAPPS platform provides outstanding capabilities, and, overall, the NCM Web site has met or exceeded our objectives and is well positioned to continue to support the museum through our opening and beyond.”