Shetland Museum & Archives
Challenge
How do you create a brand identity that links the past, present and future? Something that signifies, not merely identifies, and helps to express the unique heritage of one of Britain’s most beautiful and distinctive areas.
The Shetland Museum and Archives is an ambitious £11.6m cultural venue in Lerwick which houses over 3,000 artefacts central to the Islands’ history. The venue is the natural starting point for anyone who wants to know more about Shetland’s heritage and culture. Diverse themes range from Shetland’s Scandinavian influenced language to its rich maritime history, the crofting community to the effect of today’s oil industry, the Norwegian inspired sixareen Shetland boats to the beautiful Shetland knitwear and lace.
Idea
We believed a venue that reflected such a highly distinctive and cohesive community demanded an identity that had its roots firmly in Shetland. It would have been folly to create something that was in any sense contrived or falsely imposed. Our solution is simple, powerful and, above all, totally relevant to Shetland.
The distinctive, angular shape of our identity was inspired by various aspects of Shetland life. In part, by the museum’s timber-clad Boat Hall. Its unusual sloping walls were conceived as abstract sails, echoing the sail shape of the old Shetland Herring Drifters. We were also fascinated by the stone brochs, a common feature of the Shetland landscape. Our identity partially mirrors these circular two-storey, dry stone, structures constructed and developed over the period between 600BC and 100 AD.
The new identity was consistently applied and interpreted across literature, promotional materials, website, signage, interiors and merchandise. To facilitate this process we produced comprehensive identity guidelines.
Response
Our new branding helps to unite three traditionally distinct heritage elements, namely Museum Artefacts, Archival Collections and Heritage Sites, into one emotive and appealing story for all ages.
Following its opening in June 2007, local and national interest was intense. In fact, first year visitor targets were met in only three months.
John MacKenzie, Project Manager for the Shetland Museum and Archives, says ‘Sumo had delivered top quality work...we are simply delighted.’