MoMA Digital Voice & Tone Guidelines
Version: 1.2.0
Status: Published
Owner: Content Strategy
This guide establishes the foundational voice and tone for all digital touchpoints within the MoMA ecosystem. Whether writing a curatorial essay, an API error message, or a button label, our language must consistently reflect our core brand values.
1. Our Voice Principles
Our voice is our personality. It remains constant across all platforms and experiences.
- Authoritative, but not Elitist: We are experts in modern art, but we never talk down to our audience. We explain complex artistic movements using clear, accessible language.
- Curious and Engaging: We invite users to explore and ask questions. We frame information to spark interest rather than just stating facts.
- Global and Inclusive: Our audience is worldwide. We avoid regional idioms, cultural assumptions, and overly complex sentence structures to ensure our content is easily localized and universally understood.
2. Tone Mapping
While our voice is constant, our tone shifts depending on the user's context and emotional state.
| Surface / Context | Primary Tone | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Artwork Detail Pages | Educational, Rebellious | To inform and provide historical context without overwhelming the reader. |
| Checkout / Ticketing | Clear, Reassuring | To guide the user smoothly through a transaction with zero ambiguity. |
| Error States (404, API limits) | Helpful, Empathetic | To reduce frustration and provide an immediate, actionable path forward. |
| Developer API Docs | Precise, Direct | To get developers to a successful endpoint call as fast as possible. |
3. "This, Not That" Terminology
To maintain consistency and accessibility, adhere to the following terminology guidelines across all digital products.
| Avoid (Don't use) | Embrace (Do use) | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Click here to view the collection | View the collection | "Click here" is not accessible for screen readers and assumes the user is using a mouse. |
| The piece was fabricated by... | The piece was created by... | "Fabricated" is overly academic for general audiences. |
| Masterpiece or Genius | Describe the impact or technique | Subjective terms exclude diverse perspectives. Let the work and its historical context speak for itself. |
| Invalid API Key provided. | Please provide a valid API key. | Don't blame the user. Clearly state what is needed to fix the issue. |
4. Accessibility and Alt Text
Every piece of content must be accessible. For artworks, descriptive text is not just a legal requirement; it is a core part of the user experience.
- Focus on the visual reality: Describe what is literally in the frame before interpreting meaning.
- Keep it concise: Aim for 1-2 sentences.
- Don't repeat the caption: Screen readers will already read the title and artist.
- Example: Alt="A large canvas painted with thick, swirling brushstrokes of blue and yellow, depicting a night sky over a small village."