The Walters Art Museum Announces New Visual Identity and Website

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2018

Contact:
Gabriella Souza at The Walters Art Museum
[email protected], 314-583-9427

The Walters Art Museum has debuted a new look, with a new logo and website.

“We are engaged in a moment of transformation for the Walters with the opening of 1 West Mount Vernon Place, and it is vital that our identity reflect the work we are undertaking to connect art and community,” says Julia Marciari-Alexander, Andrea B. and John H. Laporte Director. “We hope this change inspires people to see the Walters in new ways.”

Abbott Miller, a partner at the international design firm Pentagram, worked with the Walters to create a visual identity that puts the Walters’ vibrant collection front and center. Miller has significant experience working with museums and cultural institutions, and drew inspiration for the new logo from the Walters’ manuscript collection.

“This new look is rooted in our history but is also contemporary, which reflects our mission to make our collection relevant and accessible to audiences today,” says Deputy Director of Museum Advancement Kate Burgin. “The dynamic way that this design can be applied makes our collections shine.”

The new website, thewalters.org, designed by the Baltimore firm Fastspot, embraces the new visual identity and puts the user first. A flexible, mobile-first site encourages visitors to explore different ways of experiencing the museum, and improved functionality makes it easier to register for programs, become a member and make a gift, and browse the online store.

The next step in the Walters’ transformation occurs June 16 with the opening of 1 West Mount Vernon Place, the Walters’ awe inspiring 19th-century mansion, after a multi-year, $10.4 million project. Located in the heart of Mount Vernon, 1 West offers visitors exciting ways to experience the Walters’ renowned collection in one of Baltimore’s most distinctive and spectacular buildings.  

About the Walters Art Museum

The Walters Art Museum is a cultural hub in the heart of Baltimore, located in the city’s Mount Vernon neighborhood. The museum’s collection spans more than seven millennia, from 5,000 BCE to the 21st century, and encompasses 36,000 objects from around the world. Walking through the museum’s historic buildings, visitors encounter a stunning panorama of thousands of years of art, from romantic 19th-century images of French gardens to mesmerizing Ethiopian icons, richly illuminated Qur’ans and Gospel books, ancient roman sarcophagi, and serene images of the Buddha. Since its founding, the Walters’ mission has been to bring art and people together to create a place where people of every background can be touched by art. As part of this commitment, admission to the museum and special exhibitions is always free.