International Spy Museum
This is a hypothetical rebrand for the International Spy Museum. The main imagery of the logo was based on one of the attractions in the museum.
For this project, I wanted to rebrand the International Spy Museum. The International Spy Museum is an interactive museum in Washington DC that showcases the history of spies, both real and fictional. I really wanted to redesign this logo because I was fascinated by how spies are depicted in media, from the well-known seriousness of the James Bond franchise to Starkid’s parody musical Spies are Forever.
Research
What I noticed looking at the current and old logo of the museum is how they emphasize the importance of the word SPY. Since the museum is very interactive, I wanted to step away from the heavy emphasis on words and make the logo itself feel interactive.
This led me to focus more on the building of the museum. What does it look like? What is in it? How do guests interact with it? These questions led to me discovering this attraction within the museum. A wall of circles that needed to be turned to complete the word.
That was the lightbulb moment. Circles! A simple shape that is synonymous with spies. The most well-known part in any James Bond film is the gun barrel sequence. Utilizing the concept of the circle puzzle while also giving a nod to one of the most iconic movie openings of all time led to me creating the final branding.
Final Logo
Completed: 2024
Institution: PennWest Edinboro
Art Director: Scott Gladd