Royal Museums Greenwich drops “confusing” branding for new look

The London-based group owns space and sea exploration museums such as the National Maritime Museum and the Royal Observatory, and has rebranded to better reflect all of its member sites.

The Royal Museums Greenwich has new branding which aims to better represent all of its London museums, rather than focusing on those dedicated to the sea.

The parent group encompasses sea and space exploration attractions, including the National Maritime Museum, historical ship the Cutty Sark, and planetarium the Royal Observatory, alongside 400-year-old art gallery the Queen’s House.

The branding has been created by consultancies Jane Wentworth Associates (JWA) and Intro, with the first leading on strategy and the second on design.

The previous logo

The old logo was comprised of a serif, all-caps logotype alongside splashing water imagery, which was “confusing” and “did not effectively represent the full Royal Museums Greenwich offer”, says JWA.

The new visual identity will be used by the museum parent group’s four attractions, with each one adopting the redesigned logo and replacing “Royal Museums Greenwich” with its name.

It features a sans-serif, all-caps logotype set in Talbot Type Karben typeface alongside a two-dimensional, line-drawn “G” symbol, which aims to depict Greenwich and also symbolise different icons associated with the museums, says JWA.

The vertical line dissecting the “G” mimics the Greenwich Meridian Line, which theoretically dissects the east and west of the world in the same way the horizontal Equator line separates the north and south.

The emblem could also symbolise a globe, a clock and its hands, and an old-style nautical navigational instrument, according to the consultancy.

A line extending from the “G” is used as a visual device across communications, while a colour palette of black, white and grey has been incorporated alongside “inspirational” images that show “all kinds of people exploring the world”, says JWA.

Eleanor Harris, director of visitor experience and enterprise at Royal Museums Greenwich, says the new branding aims to “build recognition, profile and loyalty” for the museum group.

Royal Museums Greenwich’s new branding begins rolling out this week across online platforms, print and marketing material, and on-site at all of the museums.

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Comments
  • Gyaviira Luwaga April 19, 2017 at 9:07 am

    I love the simplicity.

  • Stephanie Tyler April 19, 2017 at 10:41 am

    “confusing” and “did not effectively represent the full Royal Museums Greenwich offer”… you’re kidding right?
    The previous logo was representative of water, a ship, astronomy = Quintessential Maritime. This new Art Deco approach is taking 100 steps back from where they should be as a brand.
    Disappointing.

  • Hugh Mussbejokin April 29, 2017 at 12:18 pm

    A logo doesn’t work if you have to explain it. Nobody I’ve spoken to knows what this logo is supposed to mean. Very poor.

    • Hannah May 20, 2017 at 1:42 pm

      I tend to disagree…
      I think it is more important to be memorable, but most importantly, non generic. It needs to be a mark that is unmistakable. If you were to see this G device anywhere, in any context, it would still be Royal Museums Greenwich. Take the water splash away from the type and it’s instantly nothing.

      • Hugh Mussbejokin July 26, 2017 at 7:13 am

        … to be memorable a logo has to be visible. Can I draw your attention to the pic of the front of the building.

  • Capt. Mike Ledger October 2, 2017 at 11:21 pm

    Totally unrepresentative of anything nautical to this simple sailor.

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