A longtime staple in the City of Philadelphia has undergone a major rebrand as the Philadelphia Museum of Art reintroduced itself on Wednesday under a new name and logo following a major rebranding.
Now known as the Philadelphia Art Museum, the historic landmark building is putting the city in which it has stood for nearly 150 years at the center of its rebrand. From the new name to the logo and the many other inclusions in the rebrand, the museum has embodied the city’s grit, creativity, and industrial heritage.
“The Philadelphia Art Museum has long been the cultural heart of the city, and it’s our duty to maintain that role,” said Sasha Suda, George D. Widener Director and CEO of the Philadelphia Art Museum. “Our focus and vision are unabashedly Philadelphian; we’re opening our doors to become more collaborative and future-focused for all.”
Among the changes stemming from this rebrand are a new name for the museum, a new logo featuring a freshly designed griffin, a custom typography—called Fairmount Serif—designed to honor the city, new museum merchandise, an overhaul to the museum website (including a brand new URL), social media accounts, and a brand new visual identity: Including new signage and way-finding, motion design, sub-branding, rebranded social media accounts, exhibitions, events, and a new “brand voice.”
The museum’s branding was developed alongside nationally renowned branding, strategy, and design studio, Gretel, which is based out of Brooklyn, NY.
“This project is the result of more than a year of research, collaboration, creative development and iteration,” Ryan Moore, Executive Creative Director and Partner at Gretel, said. “Our main objective was to ‘come down the steps’ by putting the museum in dialogue with its community, which is and always has been the city itself. This new identity reflects the future of the institution: more engaging, more dynamic, and more inviting to new audiences.”
One of the most visible changes seen in this redesign with Gretel is the reintroduction of a griffin to the branding, not only restoring a classic design with a modern look, but also “reviving the iconic griffin in the logo as protector of the arts,” according to the press release.
A mythical creature with the head, wings, and talons of an eagle and the body, tail, and hind legs of a lion, griffins are often thought of as symbols of strength and protection. Since 1938, the griffin logo has been a part of the museum brand, though it has been absent in recent years. To this day, griffins can be seen on each corner of the museum’s roof.
In addition to this rebrand, visitors are told they can expect more hands-on learning about the arts for all age groups; more collaborations with a variety of local, regional, and global creative partners; and a dynamic transformation of the campus for all Philadelphians.
For more information on the Philadelphia Art Museum, visit visitpham.org.
