Base Design‘s New York office has rebranded the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston, creating new positioning that aims to remind all Bostonians that its spaces and collections are for everyone. MFA has one of the most comprehensive arts collections in the Americas with works ranging from historical masterpieces to contemporary icons. Housed in a grand neoclassical building, its architecture and reputation were felt to have made the museum feel potentially intimidating and off-putting to visitors.
“Through a new visual identity and messaging, the goal was to convey a sense of belonging for visitors of all ages and backgrounds, who should feel a sense of warmth, welcome, and inclusion in the museum’s communications, as well as see something new and surprising happening at MFA,” says Base Design.
The new branding includes a redesigned logo that features the word ‘Boston’ more prominently, with the A and B letterforms connect to firmly tie the museum to its location. New typography has been introduced, described as “bold, contemporary and slightly quirky.” The typeface also includes special glyphs that are intended to create a sense of belonging and connection; embracing from above and supporting below.
The primary color palette uses white, black and the brand’s heritage red; with a supporting secondary palette made up of a number of vibrant tones. The red square has been replaced with a red triangle and is used as a flexible design element that directs people towards important information; points to the future; and acts as part of an animated ticker online.
For the relaunch campaign, Base devised the slogan “Here All Belong.” The slogan appears on a series of posters within a flexible visual framework alongside a range of portraits from the MFA collection from different time periods and countries.
