From catalogue, to catalyst.
Nomad collaborates with Pentagram to create a new motion-first brand identity for Natural History Museum. The UK’s most-visited indoor attraction in 2021 and 2022, London’s Natural History Museum houses over 80 million items across a wide range of natural history disciplines.
While the Museum’s collections are an invaluable scientific resource, the new ambition is to position NHM as a leading voice in the discussions on the future of our planet and climate emergency. Nomad and Pentagram combined as one team to bring both deep cultural experience and motion-first thinking to help deliver this bold ambition.
↓ SOUND ON ↓
A brand born from nature
The Natural History Museum needed a symbol that made reference to our planet and the universal connection between everything in nature. The symbol features a circular formation of NHM, representing the energy of a ripple effect, which pulsates from the centre to form a three-colour sunburst. It’s a shape born from nature – embodying the collective energy and positivity that reflects the Museum’s mission to become an agent for change.
Force of Nature
Motion features strongly throughout the identity, taking inspiration from nature and bringing the Museum’s brand to life, and when applied to the new logo, the movement helps it become instantly recognisable. Full of energy, dynamism and momentum, the motion channels four nature-inspired routes: Ripple, Grow, Pulsate and Orbit. A series of sound-reactive animations also add a joyful and expressive element and celebrate the creatures that everyone loves.
↓ SOUND ON ↓
Biomimicry
Circular patterns and Word Rings have a strong connection to the symbol. They can be static or moving and are the visual representation of a catalyst. They can move, grow, expand, change form and communicate, creating an instantly recognisable element that brings colour and energy.
Word Rings feature contextual words in circles and can be used with images or as text-only. For easy creation of Patterns and Word Rings, the team created a generator, a tool that can be used to design both static and motion outputs through coding, making it easy for all designers working with the brand to keep consistency as well as flexibility.
The future mission
The Natural History Museum is at an unprecedented point in its 150-year history. While it has always been a committed champion of the natural world, its aim is now to look deeper into the planet’s past and present to help shape a new future. Nomad and Pentagram’s new identity will help it in its mission to do more and go further, fighting the climate emergency and turning audiences into advocates for the planet.
Project team
Marina Willer, Stuart Watson, Cleber de Campos, Stuart Gough, Kate Blewett, Marta Gaspar, Hamlet Auyeung, Rita Desport, Natalia Witwicka, Charlotte Harmsworth, John Grant, Nathan Monaghan, Tom Gould, Will Alexander, Ash Watkins, Marion Bisserier, Heavenly, Mat Hil & Patrick Giasson.
