Google Arts & Culture for Low-Vision Art Lovers

Designing a Multisensory Art Experience for Low-Vision Users

TEAM MEMBERS

Cheryl Vo (Lead Designer)

Stephanie Ng (Developer)

Ellie Yan (Designer)

Cheryl Vo (Lead Designer)

Stephanie Ng (Developer)

Ellie Yan (Designer)

SKILLS

Multimodal Interaction

Accessibility Design

Narrative UX

Prototyping (Figma)

Multimodal Interaction

Accessibility Design

Narrative UX

Prototyping (Figma)

OVERVIEW ✍️

Art should move you—even if you can't see it clearly.

While Google Arts & Culture opens the world’s museums to millions, it often leaves low-vision users behind.

As the lead designer brought on through CodePath Design Challenge, our team reimagined the experience from the perspective of low-vision art lovers, transforming the platform into a multisensory journey.

WHAT IF…

...you couldn’t see the painting—but you could hear its mood?
...you couldn’t follow a scroll—but a voice could guide you?
...you didn’t need sight to fall in love with art?

"I want to feel stories."
"I needed someone guiding me."
"Art should welcome everyone."

"I want to feel stories."
"I needed someone guiding me."
"Art should welcome everyone."

"I want to feel stories."
"I needed someone guiding me."
"Art should welcome everyone."

"I want to feel stories."
"I needed someone guiding me."
"Art should welcome everyone."

THE PROBLEM 🚩

Despite its stunning visuals, Google Arts & Culture excludes many users with low vision. Our research revealed that what looks beautiful to some, feels inaccessible and emotionally disconnected to others.

We surveyed 23 low-vision users and uncovered three major pain points:

"People say art speaks for itself. But for me, it often says nothing at all."

Sofia R, New York City

93%

of low-vision users struggled with immersive scroll.¹

93%

of low-vision users struggled with immersive scroll.¹

93%

of low-vision users struggled with immersive scroll.¹

93%

of low-vision users struggled with immersive scroll.¹

87%

of low-vision users were frustrated by the lack of in-platform context.¹

87%

of low-vision users were frustrated by the lack of in-platform context.¹

87%

of low-vision users were frustrated by the lack of in-platform context.¹

87%

of low-vision users were frustrated by the lack of in-platform context.¹

72%

of our low-vision surveyors felt disconnected from viewing the art.¹

72%

of our low-vision surveyors felt disconnected from viewing the art.¹

72%

of our low-vision surveyors felt disconnected from viewing the art.¹

72%

of our low-vision surveyors felt disconnected from viewing the art.¹

THE SOLUTION 🎲

We redesigned the platform around multimodal access and emotional storytelling. Our solution integrated three core features:

Soundscape – Period-aligned music paired with artworks to evoke mood
AI Assistant – A voice/text-based chatbot that guides, explains, and connects
Navigation Toggle + Visual Enhancements – Users choose how they move and what they see clearly

Each feature was tested with users experiencing macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, and other visual impairments.

AI DESIGN ♾️ DESIGN AI

Designing for low vision meant more than just enlarging text. It meant rethinking what it means to experience art.

The Soundscape feature paired artworks with emotionally aligned classical music—for example, Starry Night with Brahms’ Symphony No. 3, matching tone, era, and atmosphere.
The AI assistant acted like a museum guide, delivering story, meaning, and context—on demand, without requiring another tab.
I also designed visual toggles to let users choose between immersive scroll or pagination, and implemented sharpening tools for those who wanted enhanced clarity.

These weren’t just accessibility fixes—they were invitations to feel.

ACCESSIBILITY FEATURE 👀

Immersive Scrolling Toggle

For low-vision users, continuous animation and dynamic layouts can be disorienting. With the toggle, users can switch to a simplified pagination view—making it easier to stay oriented and focus on the content at their own pace.

ACCESSIBILITY FEATURE 👀

AI Voice Assistant with Gemini

Low-vision users can now ask questions like “What’s happening in this painting?” and receive context-aware descriptions—explaining the story, tone, and historical background of each piece. This feature turns static images into conversations, helping users connect with the meaning behind the art.