Person walking next to a Portland Art Museum kiosk that is beside a long concrete bench in front of a sculpture plaza

How do you connect a storied institution with a new audience?

A comprehensive new brand strategy turns the PAM identity into a literal “window onto the world of art.”

An art museum is more than just a building. It’s the art it contains and the people who love it. PAM’s new identity celebrates all three.

  • The Portland Art Museum, established in 1892, is the city’s only major art museum, but had long struggled to connect with Portlanders. The Museum’s donors were dwindling, and a new generation wasn’t recognizing the value of this great resource.

  • Ziba created a new brand identity for the Portland Art Museum that reflected the heart and soul of the Museum, while appealing to a new, younger target audience. This flexible identity system can highlight a detail, a character or even a mood. It’s a logo at times, but more important, it emphasizes the experience of the museum, acting like a window onto its collection. PAM's new identity also functions as a frame, inviting visitors in to explore the Museum for themselves.

  • Portland Art Museum’s new brand identity was introduced in the fall of 2011, and over the next two years rolled out across all of their branded touchpoints. Within the Museum, the response has been overwhelmingly positive, with staff and visitors alike remarking on the way it highlights the institution's collection and resources, consistently and approachably. In the broader Portland community, the identity sparked renewed interest in the museum, leading to a 35% increase in donations, ultimately allowing construction of a planned new building to break ground two years ahead of schedule.

  • Three people walking in front of the Portland Art Museum steps
Portland Art Museum signage featuring a large, orange stylized P in front of the museum

35%

increase in donations after implementing the new identity

Founded in 1892, the Portland Art Museum is America’s oldest art museum west of the Mississippi, and the largest in Oregon.

  • Brand Insights

  • Trend Insights

  • User Insights

  • Communication Design

NEW BUSINESS INQUIRIES

Enter your information below to start the conversation.

Tell us a bit more about what you’re looking for.