How a Digital Platform Transforms Visitor Experience at Sanxingdui Museum

Project Overview

To help visitors explore the Sanxingdui Museum more conveniently and appreciate the unique Ba‑Shu culture, Tencent and the museum launched a strategic partnership to build an official mini‑program, website, and related digital services.

Key Objectives

Improve visitor satisfaction at pre‑, during‑, and post‑visit stages.

Enable deeper understanding of Sanxingdui’s cultural uniqueness.

Understanding Users

Designers and researchers visited the museum in Guanghan, Sichuan, conducted multiple rounds of interviews, questionnaires, and on‑site observations to uncover high‑frequency pain points and real user needs.

Listening to Users

We carried out one‑on‑one offline interviews and launched online surveys to capture expectations, concerns, and frequent frustrations.

We also observed visitors’ subconscious behaviors during tours and interviewed museum staff to identify design opportunities across all visit phases.

User Personas

Analysis of interviews and surveys revealed three main visitor groups:

Out‑of‑town tourists : Learn about Sanxingdui mainly through media before the visit and are deeply moved by the artifacts after touring.

Museum enthusiasts : Families and professionals who spend considerable time exploring details and seek further information online.

Local leisure visitors : Students and nearby residents who prefer flexible, high‑quality, comprehensive tour services.

Design Strategy Development

Based on the research, we broke down the full‑tour journey into specific needs and devised solutions.

Learn what Sanxingdui is before the visit.

Engage in deeper learning during the tour.

Navigate the site and locate items easily.

Corresponding design strategies were formulated:

Visually restore the artistic impression of the artifacts.

Provide diverse, in‑depth appreciation methods.

Create a vivid map navigation experience.

Visual Design – Restoring Artistic Impression

We studied Ba‑Shu culture, patterns, and exhibition concepts, focusing on shape, color, texture, and motion for the mini‑program’s visual design.

Graphics

Iconography combines functional modules with iconic Sanxingdui artifacts such as the eye‑shaped vessel and divine bird, infusing cultural meaning into the UI.

Examples include a “traffic guide” icon inspired by on‑site signage and a “tour” tab using the golden‑rod fish pattern to symbolize smooth travel.

Patterns

Visitor interest in artifact patterns led us to extract intricate motifs from the relics and integrate them into the interface.

Avatar Elements

Inspired by the bronze heads displayed in the museum, we offered custom avatar options so users can virtually engage with the three‑thousand‑year‑old civilization.

Color Scheme

Bronze green and gold, derived from the most striking artifacts, serve as the primary palette, creating an immersive atmosphere while ensuring readability through contrast‑adjusted backgrounds for text‑heavy pages.

Texture and Lighting

We layered bronze, gold, and jade textures in page backgrounds to enhance detail and ambience. A top‑light effect on artifact display pages simulates the experience of viewing items in a physical museum.

Animation

Beyond micro‑interactions, the mini‑program’s splash screen features an animation that mirrors the museum’s introductory video “The Eye of Sanxingdui,” instantly immersing users in the ancient world.

Conclusion

Beyond recreating Sanxingdui’s artistic impression, the platform aims to enrich artifact appreciation and tour experiences. Further design insights will be shared in the next article.

Design for Good, Cultural Confidence

The project deepened our respect for archaeologists and museum professionals, reinforcing our commitment to “smart museums” and the fusion of technology with cultural heritage.

Our collaborations span the Digital Palace Museum, Cloud‑based Central Axis, and Global Museum Online Relay, showcasing a series of “Tech + Cultural” integrations.

Museums bridge the real world and traditional culture; continued partnerships will deliver diverse experiences that quietly inspire love and confidence in cultural heritage.