STAUFFER Partners with UChicago’s Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures to Launch Redesigned Website

Collaboration makes more than a century of scholarship, museum collections, and public programs easier to discover.

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, October 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — STAUFFER, a digital strategy, design, and development agency, today announced its work on the newly launched website for the University of Chicago’s Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC). Officially launched September 28, 2026, the redesigned website helps scholars, educators, museum visitors, and audiences worldwide explore the institute’s work.

The launch follows more than two years of planning, consultation, design, and development led by ISAC. Community input helped establish priorities, and STAUFFER worked alongside the institute to translate those needs into the website’s organization, design, and functionality.

For an institution whose work spans archaeological expeditions, ancient languages, scholarly publishing, and museum collections and exhibitions, the challenge was to make a vast range of resources approachable for people with different interests and levels of familiarity. STAUFFER combined user testing, design, and development to create clearer routes through that repository for fundamental research in West Asia and North Africa.

“A website like ISAC’s has to welcome curiosity at every level,” said Chris Stauffer, CEO of STAUFFER. “Someone arriving to plan a museum visit and a scholar looking for a decades-old publication need different things from the same website. Working closely with ISAC helped us understand those needs and create an experience that serves both.”

Founded in 1919, ISAC investigates the languages, histories, and cultures of ancient West Asia and North Africa. Its museum brings that scholarship to the public through artifacts, galleries, and exhibitions that illuminate the lives of ancient cultures. The website supports both aspects of its mission, connecting research resources with opportunities to visit, learn, and participate.

Improved search helps readers navigate ISAC’s extensive publication archive and identify scholars and research projects. Educators and families can explore learning opportunities, while museum visitors can find exhibition information and plan their time at the institute. Thousands of preserved links help readers continue reaching resources cited and shared over many years domestically and internationally.

“This update had to meet several objectives concurrently, providing unparalleled access to one of the best collections in the world to the widest audience, but also to foster a feeling of belonging and shared knowledge to our community. In that regard, consistency and ergonomics were crucial pillars of the website’s new design” said Josh Tulisiak, ISAC Museum Senior Designer.

Built on Drupal’s open-source content management system, the new ISAC website uses Drupal Canvas to give faculty and staff a visual way to create and update pages. Reusable page elements make it easier to share discoveries, highlight museum exhibitions and collections, and promote events, reducing the need for developer support for routine updates. Accessibility was incorporated throughout design and development, with attention to keyboard navigation and usability across devices.

The platform also gives ISAC a consistent way to organize and reuse content as its research, publications, and public programs expand. This foundation supports ongoing improvements to the website and future connections with other digital resources, helping the institute build on its investment over time.
Explore the website at isac.uchicago.edu and take note of their upcoming exhibit:

Discover ISAC Museum new exhibition
A new exhibition at the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures Museum of the University of Chicago tells the story of Hartapu—a little-known king whose recently discovered inscription is reshaping the history of Iron Age Anatolia. This exhibition is curated by James Osborne and organized by the ISAC Museum. It is supported by ISAC members and ISAC Museum visitors. This special exhibition runs from September 17, 2026, through March 14, 2027, at the ISAC Museum.

About STAUFFER
Founded in 2001 and based in Los Angeles, STAUFFER brings together strategy, design, and engineering to help organizations create digital experiences that support their goals. The agency works with clients from initial planning through launch and ongoing support, building websites, applications, and connected digital platforms. Learn more at stauffer.com.

About the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures
The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC) at the University of Chicago advances the study of the ancient civilizations of West Asia and North Africa through rigorous scholarship, innovative research, and archaeological discovery. Founded in 1919 by James Henry Breasted with support from John D. Rockefeller Jr., the institute brings together research, collections, and public education to deepen understanding of the ancient world. Its museum opened to the public in 1931 and houses collections drawn largely from ISAC expeditions during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Learn more at isac.uchicago.edu.

Cherise Williamson
STAUFFER
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