The Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, holds one of the most important ethnographic collections of photographs and objects in the world. Over 4,500 photographs were scanned and 1,500 objects were photographed, with database records created specifically for the website.
I worked with professors and researchers at the University of Oxford to migrate their FileMaker database online, building complex user functions allowing the objects and photographs to be researched and new connections to be made entirely within the website.
Migrating the databases from FileMaker to MySQL allowed them to be queried across the web, returning information for academic research.
Design approach
The site has a clean, unobtrusive design that helps showcase the information users need. All pages were designed to allow access to people of all abilities and disabilities. Following web design standards from the W3C ensures the website is future-proofed.
Copyright solution
Distributing high-quality images online presents an awkward copyright challenge. I solved this by allowing users access to close-up detail and the ability to pan around an image within a fully accessible HTML design. I developed a program that gives users access to intimate details while keeping copyright control firmly with the owners.
The project was given the top rating of “excellent” on all counts by the AHRC (Arts and Humanities Research Council).