The Toledo Museum of Art believes art is magic. But to keep the magic alive in the 21st century, at least from a branding perspective, requires a makeover.

Enter the Detroit creative agency Lafayette American, which was assigned to rebrand the TMA. It was done by the agency's new in-house design practice, Scorpion Rose Studio, and led by Meg Jannott.

The new logo is a more dynamic look, which begins with the T, symbolizing the transformative nature of change and reflecting different points of view. The T is also the architectural shape of the structure, reflecting the city's name and its evolution in the digital age. Yet to honor the museum's legacy, the typography draws from the its various historical styles over the years: a sans serif typeface with a supporting serif typeface. Two color fields were selected, each expanding into three color saturation options.

And to acknowledge Toledo’s history as the City of Glass, the symbolism of glass is infused within the identity and visual applications wide-ranging from online to the TMA campus.

Toby Barlow, co-founder of Lafayette American, told Agency Daily: “Museums have evolved from being icons of a static, monoculture to embracing a richer, multidimensional role in their communities. The new TMA brand reflects that, with a dimensionality that reflects the community and refracts it, bringing a fresh perspective to the art.

"The brand identity also embraces the substantive role the museum plays in Toldeo, as both an anchor and a commons for the neighborhood and the city. There are many ways people can find the museum, physically, digitally, socially. The new branding embraces that diversity.”

The agency's client work includes Stock X, Latitude AI, Kodiak and Netflix.