Instant access to thousands of Smithsonian news items, at your desk and on your phone.
Challenge
With 19 museums, nine research centers and a zoo, there is always a lot happening at the Smithsonian. The Office of Public Affairs (OPA) is tasked with the job of delivering Smithsonian news to members of the press. OPA came to Mediatrope with the need for a completely redesigned site that combined usability with an effective content management system.
Solution
The new SI Newsdesk site gives journalists instant access to all of the Smithsonian's news. The clean design and user-friendly layout were developed with the needs of the press in mind. A vibrant slideshow featuring current headlines greets visitors to the homepage. Quick links connect you to the site's most popular content and multimedia including high-resolution photographs and videos are featured in an easy-to-browse gallery.
A powerful search tool is essential to the new site. The search can be filtered by content type, museum or program. Curious about the National Zoo's famous pandas? Type "pandas" into the search box and you instantly have access to over a dozen press releases, photos and videos. Need details about the latest exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum? Filter your search by museum.
The mobile version of the website is a critical tool for press on deadline. From the featured recent press releases to links to social media and press contacts, mobile Newsdesk keeps journalists connected with the Smithsonian.
The site is powered by the open source content management system Drupal and the faceted search tool, Lucene, making it flexible, powerful, and easy for OPA staff to maintain.
