Concept and UX/UI design for the pocket guide "Unframed" of the Alte Pinakothek Munich
Old masters, newly framed.
Old masters, newly framed.
01 Context
What do Albrecht Dürer's self-portrait and Instagram have in common? More than a first look suggests. Old masters often feel distant and closed, behind glass, behind centuries. The Alte Pinakothek in Munich wanted to close that gap, and open visitors' eyes to how present the works still are, without covering the art. The brief was a digital visit companion on the phone, before, during and after. Not another audio guide. Not an app to download. A web-based pocket guide that connects the works to a visitor's own life.
02 Method
Guide, discover, prepare. Different aims, and more than one way in, need a clear information architecture. We conceived and designed "Unframed". Our partner Zum Kuckuck built it. At the centre is a main navigation that's always there: Tours, Works, My visit. It covers every type of use, from a spontaneous find to a planned visit. A context menu brings page-specific content exactly where it's needed. A 3D map of the rooms marks the start of a tour and makes it easier to find your way on site. Quick search, expert search, room views and inventory numbers take visitors to a single work. The visual frame comes from the Pinakotheken' letter mark: the quarter-circle of the logo returns in object tiles, the tour map and the highlight slider. A recognisable interface element, and a quiet stage for the art.
03 Result
With "Unframed", the Alte Pinakothek has a digital visit companion that holds orientation, inspiration and depth in one place, on your own phone, without an app download or a hired device. Start a tour, and you find your way. Look for a single work, and you find it. Want to keep thinking after the visit, and your favourites and your own tours are still there. The classic round grows beyond the walls and opening hours of the house. For the museum, a ground for future education formats to build on. Since the 2023 launch, "Unframed" shows what digital education in a museum looks like when concept and design start from the work, not from the tech.
Client
Alte Pinakothek München
Industry
Release
Team
Book a call
01 Context
What do Albrecht Dürer's self-portrait and Instagram have in common? More than a first look suggests. Old masters often feel distant and closed, behind glass, behind centuries. The Alte Pinakothek in Munich wanted to close that gap, and open visitors' eyes to how present the works still are, without covering the art. The brief was a digital visit companion on the phone, before, during and after. Not another audio guide. Not an app to download. A web-based pocket guide that connects the works to a visitor's own life.
02 Method
Guide, discover, prepare. Different aims, and more than one way in, need a clear information architecture. We conceived and designed "Unframed". Our partner Zum Kuckuck built it. At the centre is a main navigation that's always there: Tours, Works, My visit. It covers every type of use, from a spontaneous find to a planned visit. A context menu brings page-specific content exactly where it's needed. A 3D map of the rooms marks the start of a tour and makes it easier to find your way on site. Quick search, expert search, room views and inventory numbers take visitors to a single work. The visual frame comes from the Pinakotheken' letter mark: the quarter-circle of the logo returns in object tiles, the tour map and the highlight slider. A recognisable interface element, and a quiet stage for the art.
03 Result
With "Unframed", the Alte Pinakothek has a digital visit companion that holds orientation, inspiration and depth in one place, on your own phone, without an app download or a hired device. Start a tour, and you find your way. Look for a single work, and you find it. Want to keep thinking after the visit, and your favourites and your own tours are still there. The classic round grows beyond the walls and opening hours of the house. For the museum, a ground for future education formats to build on. Since the 2023 launch, "Unframed" shows what digital education in a museum looks like when concept and design start from the work, not from the tech.
Client
Alte Pinakothek München
Industry
Release
Team
Book a call
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Let's find out if we're a fit.
Let’s get to know each other and see whether we’re the right fit for your project. From there, we can shape a solution around what you actually need.
Friday, August 28, 2026
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10:30
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