The Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle’s Emblematic (R)Evolution
The Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (MNHN) in France embarked on a transformative journey in 2019, modernizing its historic seal to resonate with the digital age while preserving its rich heritage. The challenge? Making something new out of something old, modernizing the historic seal while staying true to its roots.
The MNHN’s Seal: A Tale of Revolutionary Heritage and Modern Ambitions
The MNHN’s seal is deeply rooted in the French Revolution, a period of profound change and rebirth. Designed by Gérard Van Spaendonck, the first holder of the MNHN’s iconography chair, and attested as early as 1794, the seal is a rich tapestry of symbols. It features wheat and vine to represent the plant kingdom, a serpent and a shell to symbolize the animal kingdom, and an assortment of minerals for the mineral kingdom. At the center, a beehive illustrates the collective work of the Museum’s professors, uniting these natural realms in their shared pursuit of scientific enlightenment. Ultimately, the Phrygian cap, a symbol of the French Revolution and an attribute of Marianne (see the painting below 🤩), the embodiment of the French Republic, also graces the seal.
Interestingly, while the MNHN’s seal boasts ancient origins, (making it perhaps the oldest in the series of articles I’m writing 😱), its use during the 20th century was sporadic and without clear guidelines. The seal underwent various modifications, with changes sometimes seeming arbitrary.
While there were a few attempts to modernize the MNHN’s visual identity around the early 2000s, the seal serendipitously slipped through the net of extensive rebranding that marked the era. It’s a subtle reminder that sometimes, history’s most enduring symbols are those that evolve quietly, rather than through sweeping redesigns.
Bruno David, the former president of the MNHN (2015–2023), saw the pressing need to modernize this historic seal, particularly with the ambition to unify the museum’s diverse sites scattered across France. Yeah, maybe you did not know but the MNHN isn’t just a Parisian affair! 😮 With 12 sites nationwide, it’s more than just the iconic location in the capital. Ever heard of the Jardin Botanique Val-Rahmeh in Menton, in Provence? Or the Marinarium de Concarneau in Bretagne? for instances. That’s MNHN too ! The MNHN has its roots (and branches!) spread far and wide across the country. The goal was to refresh its image, ensuring it resonated with today’s audience while preserving its rich heritage. The 18th-century engraving, which had been used as a logo, faced challenges in terms of readability, particularly on digital platforms. Collaborating with the graphic design agency, c-album, the MNHN’s Communication Department embarked on a journey to rejuvenate the seal, ensuring it retained its revolutionary spirit and significance. It’s the revolutionary spirit meets the ‘French Touch’ in design!
The French Touch to Revitalizing Legacy
The journey to rejuvenate the MNHN’s seal began with an archival deep dive, tracing the evolutions of the seal’s various versions over the years. This historical exploration was crucial to understand its rich legacy. The seal was then redrawn, respecting its iconic imagery but introducing a clearer, less cluttered line drawing. The next challenge was typography. The goal was to ensure the logo’s core remained legible, leading to the strategic use of the abbreviation ‘Muséum Nal Hist Naturelle’, which provided a clear yet recognizable representation without the need to reiterate the full name beside the seal.
Enter “Buffon,” a custom-designed typography, named in honor of Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, a French naturalist who was the director of the MNHN just before the Revolution. This typography is not only distinctive and unmistakably French but also versatile, ensuring readability even in smaller sizes. Its design is so unique that it doesn’t quite resemble any other well-known typefaces — a true embodiment of the ‘French Touch’!
The logo’s reception within the institution was generally positive, with a broad acceptance and integration into use over the years. While there were some initial reservations about the abbreviated form, these concerns were quickly overshadowed by an understanding of the challenges the MNHN faces. Like many institutions, the MNHN often needs to present its logo in constrained spaces, making it imperative for the logo to remain distinguishable even when rendered in smaller sizes (for example in their Social Network).
Behind the Rebrand: The MNHN’s Rise in Notoriety and Institutional Backing
The rebranding certainly made waves. The MNHN has seen a significant uptick in its notoriety in recent years, with the rebranding playing a role in this rise. Within the institution, the president’s backing was instrumental in garnering support for the initiative. Key figures, from site directors to the library head and scientific departments, were actively involved. Their insights, coupled with numerous internal visits by c-album to understand the MNHN’s history, operations, and challenges, were essential.
Accompanying this fresh brand identity is the magazine “La Girafe.” Published thrice a year, it offers readers a deep dive into the MNHN’s happenings and programming. Through its pages, one can explore behind-the-scenes, traverse four centuries of history, wander through galleries and museums, greet the inhabitants of the zoos, or simply meander in the museum’s gardens. Proudly showcasing the distinctive typography we discussed earlier, the magazine’s design is truly impeccable!
My Take on the MNHN Logo
Is my perspective entirely unbiased, given my French roots? Well, let’s just sweep that under the rug for now 🤫. The MNHN logo distinctly veers from the current trend of hyper-simplification that I’ve discussed in previous writings. If you ever doubted the existence of the “French exception,” this logo stands as a testament to it. What makes it exceptional, beyond its historical richness, is its ability to reinvent itself while staying true to its original essence. However, the real star of the show isn’t just the seal, which leans more towards being a historical emblem than a modern logo. It’s the bespoke typography that truly shines. Many institutions invest in designing unique logos, and while they might craft custom typefaces to accompany these logos, they often don’t stand out from the common fonts we encounter daily. The MNHN’s typography is a game-changer in this regard. It’s so distinctive that one can instantly recognize a document as being from the MNHN just by glancing at the title, like the headline of the “La Girafe” magazine, without needing to see the institution’s name. Crafting such a unique yet legible typeface is, in my eyes, the MNHN’s crowning achievement.
And always remember…
A logo doesn’t tell just one story, but as many stories as there are people looking at it.
Source
Special thanks to Sophie Landrin, Institutional Communication Officer at the MNHN, for her valuable time and insights during our interview. Her generosity in sharing information and providing graphic elements was essential in crafting this article.
