PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia Museum of Art has a new name, and you already know it.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art announced Wednesday that it is reintroducing itself as the Philadelphia Art Museum.
The museum said the rebrand “places Philadelphia front and center, celebrating the city’s grit, creativity, and industrial heritage.”
Sasha Suda, the George D. Widener Director and CEO of the museum, called it a subtle, but intentional shift.
"Pretty much everyone calls us the Philadelphia Art Museum," she said. "It really reflects what we're called by Philadelphians and those around the region who are loyal to us and who come to the museum."
And an effort to re-engage that local populace has been of upmost importance to museum leadership in the years following the pandemic, especially as international tourism has struggled so far this year.
"This spring and this summer we really got knocked to our feet again because of what's happening with tourism," said Suda. "Specifically Canadian tourism here in Philadelphia is down about 40% and we have a lot of international tourism that's decreased as well."
But it’s not just the name. The rebrand also includes new typography and a visual identity, a revived griffin logo, and an overhaul of its website.
“This project is the result of more than a year of research, collaboration, creative development and iteration,” said Ryan Moore, executive creative director and partner at Gretel, the branding, strategy, and design studio that led that museum rebrand.
“Our main objective was to ‘come down the steps’ by putting the museum in dialogue with its community, which is and always has been the city itself,” Moore continued. “This new identity reflects the future of the institution: more engaging, more dynamic, and more inviting to new audiences.”