yo!
earlier this month i joined a hackathon where we worked on an accessibility challenge for the Pushkin Museum!
The interesting part is that the museum itself is already quite accessible. They have adapted programs, navigation, and support for different visitors. The problem was that none of this was obvious when buying a ticket online
For most people, buying a ticket takes around 1–1.5 minutes. For visitors with disabilities - or anyone who needs extra support, it can take much longer and be genuinely confusing, and it's really sucks!
Here's what we came up with:
• Reduced almost 30 benefit categories to 6 clear ones, so people can quickly understand which option applies to them
• Thought about accessibility beyond disabilities. We added better search, filters, and options for people who speak different languages, are sensitive to sound, have trouble concentrating, or simply want more context. My teammate Masha also designed a low-vision version
• Made group bookings easier. One account can buy up to 8 tickets, and anything larger automatically switches to a group booking flow. We also designed a simple admin panel to help museum staff manage these requests
• Added helpful tools for staff, like highlighting when visitors may need assistance and making accessibility settings part of event creation
• After checkout, users can create an account with the information they've already entered, so their tickets are saved without filling everything out again
Our prototype reduced the purchase flow to around 17–40 seconds, cutting the time by about half
If we'd had more time, the next step would definitely have been testing everything with people from different accessibility groups. That's where the most valuable insights come from. Project was created by 1.5 day, of course we used AI for prototypes and frontend
If u like accessibility too
- In our world we have several museums like museums in the dark/silence. You're guided through complete darkness by a blind guide. You navigate the space, identify objects by touch, and learn to rely on your other senses instead of vision or you explore what communication feels like without sound and learn more about Deaf culture and non-verbal interaction