The National Portrait Gallery gets a Stunning Rebrand

© National Portrait Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery released its new brand yesterday - having undergone substantial refurbishment in preparation for its re-opening in June of this year. This new identity focuses on people - past, present, and future - and their impact on Britain as a whole. While the Gallery was in no way failing before March 2020, it took its closure as an opportunity to breathe new life into its collection; and breathe new life it does.

The chic and modern look of the NPG's updated brand is art within itself, inviting audiences old and new to enjoy a stunning logo and eye-catching graphic design choices. As the largest collection of portraits to date (220,000 and counting), the fresh theme and elegant new typeface - created by Monotype - will certainly bring a new crowd into the Gallery.

© National Portrait Gallery

This is quite intentional, as stated by the Gallery itself, "The new brand expresses our ambition to be a place for everyone, full of life and filled with life stories." Adding to this goal is the inclusion of shops (online and in-house), a learning centre, family activities, a fine dining experience, a new cafe, and more. At the National Portrait Gallery, there's truly something for everyone.

And everyone was included in the process of deciding how to renovate the NPG. From the staff, to the visitors, to those who donate to the Gallery, every suggestion for improvement was considered. Particular interest was put into how the National Portrait Gallery might blend the old with the new - which led them to use a sketch by Sir George Scharf, the first director of the Gallery in 1893, as the new logo. In the end, the brilliance of this rebrand is the intentional care and work put into it.

© National Portrait Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery will re-open its doors on the 22nd of June, 2023.

Sources:

“A New Identity for the National Portrait Gallery Marks a New Chapter for the London Space.” Creative Boom, 25 Jan. 2023, www.creativeboom.com/news/new-identity-national-portrait-gallery.

Road to Reopening - National Portrait Gallery. www.npg.org.uk/blog/road-to-reopening.