Museum branding is far from being an easy matter. A museum logo should be smart, elegant and institutional at the same time. What is lacking from the most of the museum brands is a concept. Most of the logos are type-based and some are based on the architectural shape of the building,
but
how can a museum brand have a strong concept while being really eye-catching?
Here is my Top 5:
1 | TATE
The Tate (UK) has one of the best Museum logo ever. The recently released version designed by North maintains the concept of the not-so-outlined logo, stilling the idea of “look again, think again” on the blur effect.
2 | MOMATH
Despite the website is not properly the coolest thing ever happened to math, the logo of the Momath – National Museum of Mathematics in NYC (NY) has won the 2013 Graphic Design Award by GDUSA and it’s still one of the coolest museum logo.
The logo-generator inside the museum allow visitors to create their own version of the logo, mixing science symbols and schemes to inspire infinite logo versions.
They say that math is not so boring in the neighborhood of Madison Square Park!
3 | MUSEE PICASSO
In the blink of an eye, we are immersed into the deconstructive vision of the Master of Cubism. The brand of the Musée Picasso Paris (France) is simple and impactive.
4 | VAN GOGH MUSEUM
Not far from the previous example (of course you have a strong reference here too), but more colorful, the logo of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam (The Netherlands) plays with the well recognizable stroke of the one-ear painter.
5 | NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
Nature is even inside the logo of the Natural History Museum in London (UK). The different images inside make a strong impression: the opportunity to visualize the content represent a key point of attraction for the visitor.