Sitting on the spectacular shores of Lake Superior, Glensheen Mansion is the most visited historic home in Minnesota — 12 acres of rugged land that the Congdon family transformed into a gracious, formal estate.
More than a century later, Glensheen needed a transformation of its own. Struggling to tell its unique story and sell tickets online, Glensheen partnered with 3five — where I led creative direction and the account — for a complete website redesign.
An on-site discovery session surfaced the old website’s pain points and shaped a clear plan of action:
We built the redesign around photography, letting the Glensheen story unfold visually while showcasing the beauty of the mansion and its grounds — on a responsive, optimized site with simplified navigation and fixed calls-to-action that entice visitors to buy tickets.
Glensheen proved an ideal partner. As a local client we worked face to face, and in-depth meetings with Marketing Director Scottie Gardonio let us capture her vision for the redesign and deliver a product directly in line with it.
The new site sells the story as well as the tickets. Captivating imagery and content organized from the ground up build a relationship with consumers long before they plan a trip, while testimonials throughout earn the trust that coaxes them to convert — a website that finally mirrors the grandeur of the estate. Reviving one of Duluth’s most historic sites was deeply satisfying work; see it at glensheen.org.
