Cognitive accessibility on museum websites
The Swedish National Heritage Board has chosen to focus on cognitive accessibility in its work to improve the digital experiences of museums. As part of this work, the Funka Foundation has conducted user tests on a selection of museum websites.
During the autumn 2025, the Foundation conducted an initial expert evaluation of a number of museum websites selected by the Swedish National Heritage Board. The selection was made to represent different types of museums. We then conducted user tests with 20 people with different cognitive disabilities, of different ages and with different levels of technical and museum experience.
The aim of the assignment was to identify recurring problem areas and categories of deficiencies, to serve as a basis for an action plan for all museums in Sweden.
Overall results
The report shows that the websites tested have cognitive shortcomings that create barriers for users. Complex interfaces, unclear language and cluttered content create a cognitive load that makes it difficult for many users to absorb the information.
The tests clearly show how the cognitive load increases when users have to deal with several challenges at the same time – both absorbing content that is difficult to understand and finding their way around the website, says Malin Hammarberg, Senior UX Designer and Accessibility Specialist at the Funka Foundation. The positive thing is that many of these problems can be remediated with simple measures that improve the experience for everyone.
Despite the wide range of user prerequisites and needs, there are many problem areas that recur in the tests. Most of these are wholly or partly requirements under the Web Accessibility Directive, which the museums are in scope of.
It was crucial for us at the National Heritage Board to let the Funka Foundation investigate what can hinder accessibility to the museums’ digital offerings, says Åsa Larsson, Head of Technology and Digital Communication and the Board. It is important that we hear directly from the users, based on their different circumstances. The report has provided us with a good knowledge base that we will now continue to work with. This includes the new national action plan for disability policy that the Agency for Participation has developed together with the National Heritage Board and other authorities.
The Foundation and all testers would like to express our gratitude for the trust, and hope that our work can contribute to improving museum websites.
Viktor Lindbäck at the National Heritage Board is the project manager for the study. The results, which include the report from the Funka Foundation, will be published on the agency’s website in early 2026.
Contact
If you would like to know more about the assigments, please contact Malin Hammarberg.