Rebranding a museum: why community engagement underpins Toledo Museum of Art’s award-winning rebrand

After decades without a visual refresh, The Toledo Museum of Art asked Detroit agency Lafayette American in 2022 to revamp its design system and website to engage a modern audience. Here, Lafayette American’s CCO Toby Barlow and Head of Design Meg Jannott discuss how they did it. The new T-shaped logo, inspired by the museum's architecture, marries TMA's initials and appears dynamically across digital and physical spaces. The rebrand includes a shifting colour palette from featured artworks and fonts reflecting TMA's modernist heritage.

The agency involved the local community in the process, speaking to stakeholders beyond the museum's leadership. “You need to talk to the people who sit and stare at the artwork, and stare at the people all day – the security guards…people who live in the neighbourhood, who are using this as their backyard," explains Barlow. Jannott adds, "It was wonderful to hear people say, 'I've lived in Toledo my whole life, and I'm so proud to say this is my museum."

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