The Old Jail Museum — Website Redesign & Ecommerce Integration

Overview

The Old Jail Museum is a historic landmark in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, known for its striking 19th-century architecture and the famous handprint in Cell 17 legend. Their previous Wix site lacked the flexibility, design impact, and ecommerce capability needed to showcase the museum’s story or support modern ticketing and sales.

I was hired to deliver a fully customized WordPress + WooCommerce website to support ticketing, merchandise sales, and archival storytelling while giving museum staff intuitive tools for day-to-day management and content updates.

Objectives

• Replace the outdated Wix site with a custom, future-proof WordPress build.
• Create a professional online shop for museum merchandise and books using WooCommerce.
• Integrate Bookeo for online ticket booking and tour reservations.
• Build client-friendly admin tools so staff can manage content, events, and sales independently.
• Present the museum’s heritage and legends in a visually compelling, story-driven way.

Process

Discovery & Challenges

The client needed more than a brochure site: they needed ecommerce for books and souvenirs, real-time ticket booking, and a content structure that better communicated the museum’s credibility and stories. Budget constraints required a pragmatic, maintainable approach.

Design & Development

I organized content into clear sections (About the Jail, Tours, History, Store, Contact), designed a historically inspired but clean UI that let's archival imagery lead, and implemented WooCommerce for the store plus Bookeo embeds for bookings. I built custom admin tools to simplify product and tour management for staff.

Client Collaboration

Throughout the project I worked closely with the museum to capture historical content, add legends like the Cell 17 handprint, set up store listings, and customize booking flows. I also provided walkthroughs and hand-off documentation to ensure staff confidence in day-to-day operations.

Outcome

• Professional & credible — a modern design that reflects the gravity and mystery of the museum.
• Functional & revenue-generating — online ticket sales and a merchandise store.
• Scalable & client-friendly — WordPress + WooCommerce provide a foundation for growth.
• Story-driven — legends and history are integrated with strong visuals and accessible storytelling.

Key Metrics & Impact

• Moved from Wix to a custom WordPress build for full ownership and flexibility.
• Enabled 24/7 online ticket bookings via Bookeo embedding.
• Launched a museum store to generate merchandise revenue.
• Reduced reliance on third parties for edits; empowered staff to manage content.

Tools & Tech

Platform: WordPress · Ecommerce: WooCommerce · Integrations: Bookeo, PayPal/Stripe · Hosting: Managed WordPress hosting · Design: Custom heritage-focused theme

Reflection

This project shows the value of aligning modern technology with historical storytelling. By replacing a dated Wix site with a maintainable WordPress + WooCommerce solution and prioritizing accessible, story-driven design, the Old Jail Museum now has a platform that preserves its history while supporting bookings and revenue for future growth.