London’s National Portrait Gallery Ties History With Modernity In Fresh Rebrand

The National Portrait Gallery in London is finally reopening its doors to the public on June 22, 2023, after being closed for nearly two years. 

To mark the occasion, the museum decided to completely rebrand, with a new monogram, logotype, typeface, and color palette that will feature on its physical and digital designs. 

In collaboration with creative designers from the Edit Brand Studio and brand strategists from Boardroom Consulting, the institution looked to historic reference points and its prized collection of portraits for inspiration.

According to the institution, its fresh visual identity will “better reflect its role as a gallery that is of people, for people,” telling the tale of Britain’s past, present, and future through its portraits. 

To establish a new brand, the museum decided to embody a timeless, current, and flexible image, allowing its new references to pair seamlessly with its historic building and artworks, and its contemporary events and programs.   

When visitors step into the new gallery, they’ll see the initials ‘NPG’ plastered through the building, including within the metalwork of railings, embossed onto furniture, and even as part of original mosaics. 

Illustrator and typographer Peter Horridge came up with the sketch for the new symbol after an original by the institution’s first Director, Sir George Scharf, was found within its archives, featuring the letters entwined and encircled. 

Horridge, who helped design the logos for the Royal Household and King Charles, created an additional hand-drawn logotype, that will be used alongside NPG Serif, a brand new font created by type foundry Monotype. 

These design elements, together with the collection of portraits, will be used alongside a “fresh, modern color palette”—inspired by the paint and materials within the space and archive—to create a “distinctive new look and feel.” 

“Building on the concept of our architectural renovation… our new brand reflects our rich heritage but re-imagined to be more relevant to more people in 2023 and beyond,” explains Dr Nicholas Cullinan, Director at the National Portrait Gallery.

[via WWD and National Portrait Gallery, images via National Portrait Gallery]