Client’s Objectives
- Migrate the website from Drupal 7 before end-of-life to maintain security and stability
- Preserve existing design and core functionality to ensure continuity
- Improve site responsiveness and page load performance
- Ensure long-term scalability for future digital initiatives
- Strengthen website security by using the latest supported CMS version
Client’s Challenge:
SBMA’s website was originally built on Drupal 7 and hosted on a Pantheon server. While it included basic event creation features, the site was nearing a critical vulnerability due to the following challenges:
- Drupal 7 approaching end-of-life in 2024, leaving the site exposed to potential security threats and compatibility issues
- Risk of business disruption without ongoing module and security updates
- Limited scalability, making future enhancements and integrations difficult
- Poor performance metrics, including a site speed stuck at 30%, affecting user engagement
- A pressing need to modernize without redesigning from scratch, ensuring continuity for museum patrons and internal teams
The Solution We Implemented:
To address the urgent needs of SBMA, we delivered a strategic migration from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10.3.2, hosted on AWS. Our approach was focused on preserving design, improving stability, and laying the foundation for future growth.
Technology Stack:
- CMS: Drupal 10.3.2
- Hosting: AWS
Key Implementation Highlights:
- Full migration from Drupal 7 to 10 while retaining original design and core features
- Migration aligned with Drupal best practices to ensure data integrity and content consistency
- Updated all modules and dependencies, eliminating legacy vulnerabilities
- Built-in scalability and flexibility to support future feature rollouts
- Ensured mobile-first responsiveness for better public engagement
- Improved backend structure for editor-friendly content management
Impact on Client’s Business:
The results were substantial and future-proofed SBMA’s digital platform:
- 160% increase in website speed — load time improved from 30% to 78%, greatly enhancing visitor experience
- 100% reduction in end-of-life risk — migration to Drupal 10 eliminated all critical security threats
- 30% improvement in operational efficiency — with simplified content management and editor workflows
- Boost in user engagement and conversions — due to responsive UI and improved loading speed
- Future-ready architecture — allowing seamless enhancements, integrations, and growth without rework
Closing thoughts
By upgrading to Drupal 10, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art secured a high-performing, secure, and scalable platform—ready to serve modern digital audiences. With an elegant migration that preserved their brand integrity, they now have a reliable foundation to support future events, programs, and exhibitions.
Still on Drupal 7 and facing the EOL cliff?
Let’s talk. We’ll help you migrate without missing a beat.