Pentagram has partnered with The National Women's History Museum to create a new dynamic visual branding system. The new branding is elegant and contemporary and can grow with the institution for years to come. This new identity coincides with the institution's 25th anniversary, just as the Museum is introducing its first physical presence in exhibitions and programs in Washington, DC, in 2022.
This new identity from Paula Scher and her team at Pentagram is just further proof that this is a contemporary history museum and will create a space for the future while still drawing connections from the past. The bold and geometric features in the logo design make a show-stopping wordmark that can appear strongly by itself or paired with any other marketing materials. For example, the new logo can be manipulated and changed in endless possibilities. The "W" for "Women" can be rotated to be an "M" for "Museum." Not only can this symbol be altered, but the color can also get modified. The shape can act as a frame for photographs and images about women and history, appear in a single flat color, host creative photographs to depict stories or create geometrical patterns. The options are endless, making for a profoundly dynamic branding system.
“The goal for the new identity was to make a strong statement that we are a contemporary history museum—that we are here to record and interpret and create a platform for history in the making, to draw connections from the past and give inspiration for the future,” said Museum president and CEO Holly Hotchner about the project. “The new identity succeeds through the boldness of our ‘W,’ which alludes to our community and can be interpreted in different ways.”
The bright brand colors include a purple inspired by the U.S. suffrage movement and a secondary palette of rich, contemporary colors. This system is captivating and robust, just as a museum should be. Creating a new identity, especially coinciding with the 25th anniversary, is the perfect way to showcase the virtual exhibition space moving towards a physical space. The rebrand is an exceptional refresh at the ideal time.
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