Barton - an art and exhibition discovery platform for Germany
How we built a platform where art lovers can find exhibitions, museums and galleries across Germany.
CEO 234.studio • March 2026
Barton is a German platform for art lovers, museum professionals and collectors. Its promise, "Einfach Kunst suchen und finden", is reflected in a simple way to browse exhibitions, galleries and museums throughout the country. The interface brings cultural discovery online in an elegant, quick format shaped for a discerning audience.
Industry
Culture / Art
Location
Germany
Scope
Platform + Search engine
Year
2025
About the project
- Search for exhibitions, museums and galleries across Germany
- An art blog and exhibition reviews
- Buchttips with recommended exhibitions and venues
- User accounts and personalised suggestions
- A German-language interface
Nationwide search
The platform needed to handle hundreds of events and venues across Germany, with real-time filters for city, exhibition type and date.
Design suited to the art world
Barton speaks to culturally engaged visitors with sharp visual expectations. The design needed to feel elegant and restrained, with the authority of an established arts institution.
A German product for the DACH market
Every part of the platform is in German and follows local UX conventions and legal requirements. Copy, forms and communication were adapted for the DACH market.
What we did
Researching the German cultural market
We studied competitors, familiar navigation patterns on arts websites and the expectations of German users. The central audience profile was a culturally active art lover aged 35-60.
Information architecture and UX
The main sections cover discovery through Erkunden, recommendations in Buchtipps, the blog and user accounts. We designed paths for a quick exhibition search as well as unhurried art discovery.
A light, restrained visual design
Warm accents sit against a clean, pale interface. Large images give artworks and gallery spaces room to breathe, while typography borrows cues from art publishing.
Angular and SSR development
We built the platform in Angular with SSR for quick loading and complete indexation. Every museum, gallery and exhibition has a dedicated URL with rich metadata to support visibility in Google.
Accounts and personalisation
Members can sign in and save favourite exhibitions or venues. Recommendations improve as people use the platform, giving them a practical reason to return.
"A cultural platform should carry the spirit of the art it presents, with simple search, quiet visual confidence and intuitive navigation."
1.0s
Load time
94/100
Lighthouse score
5+
Platform sections
DACH
Target market
These figures describe this specific project. Results for another business will depend on its starting point, market and available data.
Barton goes beyond an event directory. Its editorial blog, personal recommendations and coverage of lesser-known galleries create a useful place for Germany's art community. The measured design makes everyday browsing feel calm.
Summary
Barton now combines the utility of a search engine with the character of a cultural publication. Refined design, quick discovery and user accounts give German art lovers a digital space of their own.
Planning something similar? Read more about how we build advanced web platforms.
Rafał Krzysztofiak
CEO and founder of 234.studio. He has spent over 10 years designing and building websites and web applications for sole traders, growing teams and established companies.
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