Philadelphia Museum of Art Rebrands as Philadelphia Art Museum, Unveils New Logo
The Philadelphia Museum of Art officially changed its name to the Philadelphia Art Museum yesterday, October 8, and debuted a new logo as part of a comprehensive brand overhaul.
The decision to shorten the institution’s name, and adopt the acronym “PhAM,” came after research indicated many outside the arts community were unfamiliar with the previous initialism, “PMA.” Museum Director and Chief Executive Officer Sasha Suda explained, “When I mention to folks who aren’t engaged in the arts and culture community and I say the PMA, they have no idea what I’m talking about.” The rebranding was executed in collaboration with Brooklyn-based design studio Gretel, known for its work with institutions like the Museum of Modern Art.
The new logo, featuring a redesigned griffin, has drawn mixed reactions online, with some critics comparing it to a sports team emblem. “It looks like a soccer team logo,” one user commented on Instagram. Others have expressed concerns about the typeface, Fairmount Serif, with illustrator Bonnie Watts calling it “some kind of Cold War monstrosity” and linking the aesthetic to recent labor disputes with the museum’s staff union. The museum faced a 19-day strike in 2023 over wages and benefits, highlighting ongoing tensions within the organization. This rebranding comes at a time when many cultural institutions are striving to modernize their image and reach wider audiences.
Gretel founder Greg Hahn acknowledged the strong public response, stating that changes to beloved institutions inevitably generate opinions, “sometimes founded and sometimes simply reactionary.” The museum plans to continue engaging with the public as it implements the new branding across all platforms.
