Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.

SCORE

GRADE

FIX

REVIEW

PASS

INFO

Checks

6 PASS 1 REVIEW 6 FIX

404 Error Page

Action

HTTP 404, custom page

FIX

HTTP 404, custom page

Correct 404 status code returned

Got: HTTP 404

Custom styled 404 page

404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page

Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✗Homepage Link ✗Search Form ✗

Favicon & Branding

Action

2 icon(s) detected

FIX

2 icon(s) detected

favicon.ico present at site root

HTML icon links detected

No apple-touch-icon detected

iOS devices use this when users add your site to their home screen. Add <link rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='180x180' href='/apple-touch-icon.png'>.

✓ favicon.ico Present

✓ PNG Icons Present

✗ Apple Touch Missing

✗ SVG Favicon Missing

✗ Manifest Icons Missing

✗ Multiple Sizes Missing

Web Manifest

Action

Not found

FIX

Not found

No web manifest found

No manifest at standard paths (/manifest.json, /site.webmanifest). A manifest is optional but enables PWA features like home screen installation and standalone display.

No web manifest found.

Dark Mode Support

Action

No dark mode signals

FIX

No dark mode signals

No dark mode signals detected

Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles

External CSS files may contain prefers-color-scheme rules not visible to this scan.

Dark ModeNo Dark Mode Detected

color-scheme meta Not set ✗Dark theme-color Not set ✗CSS indicators Not detected ✗

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.

Print Stylesheet

Action

No print styles

FIX

No print styles

No print-specific styles detected

When users print this page, they get the screen layout including navigation and non-essential elements. Add @media print rules to hide navigation and optimize layout for paper.

Print Stylesheet No Print Styles

Print stylesheet Not found ✗Inline @media print Not detected ✗

Navigation UX

Action

No navigation patterns

FIX

No navigation patterns

2 navigation landmark(s) detected

Hamburger menu detected (responsive design)

No breadcrumbs, search, or skip link detected

These navigation aids help users orient themselves and find content efficiently, especially on large sites.

Breadcrumbs

Skip Link

Labeled Navigation 2 <nav> element(s)

Hamburger Menu

Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)

2 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Limited navigation support. Consider adding breadcrumbs, search, and skip link.

Link & Button Quality

1 issue(s) across 180 links and 50 buttons

REVIEW

1 issue(s) across 180 links and 50 buttons

1 link(s) with no accessible text

Links without text are announced as raw URLs by screen readers.

Got: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/cdn-cgi/content?id=y_7Sp3tn_XLRHL2vbvSGLdUUrba8aQ2b_4M3…

10 link(s) open in new tab without warning

Add '(opens in new tab)' to link text or aria-label.

Got: https://www.nhmshop.co.uk/?from=main&fromPath=/; https://www.nhmshop.co.uk/?from=main&fromPath=/; https://www.nhmshop.co.uk/?from=main&fromPath=/; https://www.nhm.ac.uk/wpy/gallery; https://naturallycurious.nhm.ac.uk/; https://www.facebook.com/naturalhistorymuseum; https://twitter.com/NHM_London; https://www.youtube.com/user/naturalhistorymuseum; https://instagram.com/natural_history_museum; https://www.pinterest.com/nhmlondon

169 link(s) with descriptive text

180 links

1 empty

0 generic text

10 new tab

0 empty buttons

Element	Text	Issue	Suggested Fix
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/cdn-cgi/content?id…	(empty)	empty	Add link text or aria-label
https://www.nhmshop.co.uk/?from=main&fro…	Shop opens in a new window	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.nhmshop.co.uk/?from=main&fro…	Shop opens in a new window	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.nhmshop.co.uk/?from=main&fro…	Shop opens in a new window	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/wpy/gallery	Wildlife photography gallery o…	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://naturallycurious.nhm.ac.uk/	Online courses opens in a new …	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.facebook.com/naturalhistorym…	Our Facebook page	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://twitter.com/NHM_London	Our X account	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.youtube.com/user/naturalhist…	Our Youtube channel	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://instagram.com/natural_history_mu…	Our Instagram account	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.pinterest.com/nhmlondon	Our Pinterest account	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text

219 links and buttons have descriptive text

Links without text are announced as raw URLs by screen readers.

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/cdn-cgi/content?id=y_7Sp3tn_XLRHL2vbvSGLdUUrba8aQ2b_4M3…

Why this matters

Links with no accessible text (empty <a></a>, image-only no alt, icon-only no aria-label) are unidentifiable to screen readers.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.4

Add '(opens in new tab)' to link text or aria-label.

https://www.nhmshop.co.uk/?from=main&fromPath=/; https://www.nhmshop.co.uk/?from=main&fromPath=/; https://www.nhmshop.co.uk/?from=main&fromPath=/; https://www.nhm.ac.uk/wpy/gallery; https://naturallycurious.nhm.ac.uk/; https://www.facebook.com/naturalhistorymuseum; https://twitter.com/NHM_London; https://www.youtube.com/user/naturalhistorymuseum; https://instagram.com/natural_history_museum; https://www.pinterest.com/nhmlondon

Why this matters

Links with target="_blank" without rel="noopener" leak the originating page's window context — security and UX issue.

Learn more ▾

Without rel="noopener", the new tab can navigate the original tab via window.opener (tab-nabbing attack). Modern browsers default to noopener for target=_blank but only since recent versions. Always set rel="noopener noreferrer" explicitly.

Source: MDN target / OWASP

Landmark Structure

7 landmarks

PASS

7 landmarks

<main> landmark present

2 <nav> landmark(s) found

All <nav> elements are properly labeled

Skip navigation link is missing (WCAG 2.4.1)

Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.

Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it

Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.

Why this matters

Without a skip-nav link, keyboard users tab through every nav item before reaching content — every page, every visit.

Learn more ▾

WCAG 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) requires a mechanism to skip past repeated content. The standard implementation is a 'Skip to main content' link that's the first focusable element, visually hidden until focused. Three lines of HTML + four of CSS.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.1

A+

Heading Hierarchy

48 headings

PASS

48 headings

Single H1 present

H1 Natural History Museum homepage
H2 Come curious, leave inspired
H2 Wildlife Photographer of the Year
H2 Wildlife Photographer of the Year
H2 Exhibitions and events
H3 Visions of Nature
H3 Our Story with David Attenborough
H3 Dino Snores for Kids
H3 Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep
H2 Exhibitions and events
H3 Visions of Nature
H3 Our Story with David Attenborough
H3 Dino Snores for Kids
H3 Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep
H2 Exhibitions and events
H3 Visions of Nature
H3 Our Story with David Attenborough
H3 Generation Hope
H3 Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep
H2 Don’t miss these
H2 Lynx photo wins our public vote
H2 Your inbox just got wilder
H3 Follow us on social media
H2 The Natural History Museum, London
H2 The Natural History Museum at Tring
H2 Visit
H2 Visit
H2 Discover
H2 Discover
H2 For schools
H2 For schools
H2 Careers
H2 Careers
H2 Join and support
H2 Join and support
H2 Take part
H2 Take part
H2 About us
H2 About us
H2 Online shop
H2 Online shop
H2 Our science
H2 Our science
H2 Business services
H2 Business services
H2 Legal
H2 Legal
H2 Accept cookies?

A+

Alt Text Quality

All 22 images OK

PASS

All 22 images OK

2 image(s) with alt text over 125 characters

11 decorative image(s) correctly marked

9 image(s) with good alt text

22 images 9 good alt text 11 decorative

Issue	Count
too long	2 image(s)

A+

Form Accessibility

All 3 controls labeled

PASS

All 3 controls labeled

3 control(s) properly labeled

3 controls

3 labeled

0 placeholder only

0 unlabeled

Control	Type	Label	Method
firstname	text	First name *	none
lastname	text	Last name *	none
email	email	Email address *	none

A+

Color Contrast (Screenshot)

20 text elements analyzed, 0 fail WCAG AA

PASS

Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.

20 pass

Show all checked elements (20)

Element	Ratio	Required	FG	BG	Result
h1 Natural History Muse…	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Come curious, leave …	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Wildlife Photographe…	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Wildlife Photographe…	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Exhibitions and even…	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Exhibitions and even…	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Exhibitions and even…	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Don’t miss these	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Lynx photo wins our …	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Your inbox just got …	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Visit	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Visit	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Discover	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Discover	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 For schools	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 For schools	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Careers	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Careers	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Join and support	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass
h2 Join and support	18.93:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F3F3F3	Pass

Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

A+

Lighthouse Accessibility Audits

Score 100/100 — 0 failing, 27 passed

PASS

100

Accessibility

These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.

○Interactive controls are keyboard focusable

○Interactive elements indicate their purpose and state

○The page has a logical tab order

○Visual order on the page follows DOM order

○User focus is not accidentally trapped in a region

○The user's focus is directed to new content added to the page

○HTML5 landmark elements are used to improve navigation

○Offscreen content is hidden from assistive technology

○Custom controls have associated labels

○Custom controls have ARIA roles

●`[aria-*]` attributes match their roles

●`[aria-hidden="true"]` is not present on the document `<body>`

●`[role]`s have all required `[aria-*]` attributes

●`[role]` values are valid

●`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values

●`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled

●Buttons have an accessible name

●Image elements have `[alt]` attributes

●Form elements have associated labels

●`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.

●ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role

●`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents

●Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes

●Background and foreground colors have a sufficient contrast ratio

●Document has a `<title>` element

●`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute

●`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute

●Links are distinguishable without relying on color.

●Links have a discernible name

●Lists contain only `<li>` elements and script supporting elements (`<script>` and `<template>`).

●List items (`<li>`) are contained within `<ul>`, `<ol>` or `<menu>` parent elements

●No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0

●Touch targets have sufficient size and spacing.

●Heading elements appear in a sequentially-descending order

●Document has a main landmark.

●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used

●ARIA IDs are unique

○`[accesskey]` values are unique

○`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names

○Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.

○ARIA input fields have accessible names

○ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names

○ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names

○Elements with an ARIA `[role]` that require children to contain a specific `[role]` have all required children.

○`[role]`s are contained by their required parent element

○Elements with the `role=text` attribute do not have focusable descendents.

○ARIA toggle fields have accessible names

○ARIA `tooltip` elements have accessible names

○ARIA `treeitem` elements have accessible names

○The page contains a heading, skip link, or landmark region

○`<dl>`'s contain only properly-ordered `<dt>` and `<dd>` groups, `<script>`, `<template>` or `<div>` elements.

○Definition list items are wrapped in `<dl>` elements

○No form fields have multiple labels

○`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title

○`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.

○Input buttons have discernible text.

○`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text

○The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`

○`<object>` elements have alternate text

○Select elements have associated label elements.

○Skip links are focusable.

○Cells in a `<table>` element that use the `[headers]` attribute refer to table cells within the same table.

○`<th>` elements and elements with `[role="columnheader"/"rowheader"]` have data cells they describe.

○`[lang]` attributes have a valid value

○`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`

○Tables have different content in the summary attribute and `<caption>`.

○All heading elements contain content.

○Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements

○Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.

○Identical links have the same purpose.

○Elements with visible text labels have matching accessible names.

○Tables use `<caption>` instead of cells with the `[colspan]` attribute to indicate a caption.

○`<td>` elements in a large `<table>` have one or more table headers.

All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.