PAC
Pointe-à-Callière, Montreal's Museum of Archaeology and History, is located in the city’s Old Port. The museum is built on the ruins of the former Royal Insurance Building, which are now a key part of their Montreal history exhibit. Founded in 1992 (on Montreal’s 350th birthday), Pointe-à-Callière offers visitors a unique experience, blending historical artefacts with a tangible connection to the city's past.
Mandate
Pointe-à-Callière needed a new brand identity system—one that would be more flexible and consistent across all applications.
Design Thinking
The museum's existing branding lacked consistency, ranging from their advertising materials to the wayfinding signage within the museum itself. Furthermore, the logo wasn't as impactful as it could be, sometimes appearing more like text on an advertisement than a distinct brand mark. The goal of this rebrand was to fix all of that and create a visual identity that truly represented the museum's unique character.
Design Making
I focused on what it feels like to experience Pointe-à-Callière in its identity design. This consisted of the pieces of history it keeps like a time capsule for visitors to witness and understand as well as the atmosphere in their main permanent exhibition 'Where Montréal Was Born' of the old rock wall foundations and the moody lighting. The logo's mark traces the shape of the ruined Royal Insurance Building's foundations before the museum was built overtop of them to preserve them. Part of the brand's style features an inverted monotone image treatment that represents the atmosphere and the look of a printmaking impression because it is a copy of an original just like Pointe-à-Callière's immersive exhibitions are a chance to experience history recreated almost as if it were firsthand.
Don't just learn history. SeE it.
More than what it depicts and represents, the logotype is ambiguous which widens its avenues for applications. Their former logo—an illustration of the museum building—points to a need for memorability. Studies show that simplified logos are more legible and memorable.
