A museum comes to life
Even before its grand opening, we generated excitement for BIOTOPIA. By developing a ground-breaking brand identity for an entirely new kind of museum.
biotopia.net
Challenge
A museum rich in tradition wanted to reinvent itself to become an interactive platform with high quality content. It should allow visitors and up-and-coming scientists alike to find information as well as actively contribute to it. Plus, the project needed additional supporters and sponsors before the grand opening. So, how do you generate excitement for a museum that doesn’t (yet) exist?
Shared success
With a ground-breaking new look, a lively, animated logo and a tagline – Explore Life – that calls people to action, the new Bavarian natural history museum presents a clear vision for the future. One that speaks to the spirit of the times. From scientists and the general public, to the press and sponsors, BIOTOPIA comes to life for its wide-ranging target audiences. Even before opening its doors.
A new kind of museum – guided by our central idea
Our central idea for its new brand identity boils down to a tagline that sparks action: Explore Life. It invites people to discover and participate – be it through research or social involvement. And it authentically interplays with the museum’s new name, BIOTOPIA. A combination of biotope and utopia, it literally stands for new world worth exploring.
Design with sweeping appeal
The new natural history museum should generate excitement while also speaking to a wide range of visitors – from young to old, laymen to scientists. But before the grand opening, BIOTOPIA needed sponsors and multipliers who share its vision to help make it a reality. Our new brand design tells an inspiring story that addresses all target audiences in one fell swoop.
Zeichen & Wunder
“The brand design has started bringing the new museum to life. It turns citizens into scientists and serves as a beacon of inspiration in life sciences.”
Life is always in motion – just like our dynamic logo
The logo and branding raise awareness about BIOTOPIA’s objectives: arouse interest in the life sciences, foster a well-balanced relationship between all species, and find answers to environmental challenges, such as extinction. When designing the new logo, we picked up on the cycle of life itself in the “O” of BIOTOPIA. In particular, the animated version reflects topics like growth and change thanks to a moving, dynamic “O” that constantly alters its shape.
Before
After
UnDesignUnit
“Design is a crucial partner of the sciences and, as a discipline, connects BIOTOPIA as a natural history museum of the 21st century with its visitors.”
Our layout principle brings it full circle
A circle is easy to recall while also embodying the moment we identify something with our own eyes that compels us to change our perspective. We sense a connection to our community. A circle symbolises all this. As a connecting graphic element, a circle appears on various communication measures, such as in graphics, illustrations or circular images.
Prof. Dr. Michael John Gorman, Prinzessin Auguste von Bayern, Ranga Yogeshwar
Content and communication for the science museum 2.0
To entirely and boldly reinvent the museum, we needed sound foundation based on inspiring content covering all of the museum’s facets. In joint workshops, we fleshed this out and developed an inspiring communication strategy covering messaging and topics along with formats and platforms.
Biotopia
“We want to encourage people to discover life in all its facets. And to be surprised by entirely new insights and perspectives.”
A space that cultivates knowledge
BIOTOPIA invites visitors to change their perspective and take action. Beyond piquing people’s curiosity and generating excitement, BIOTOPIA also explicitly aims to foster up-and-coming scientists. To achieve this goal, the museum collaborates closely with partners such as reputable Bavarian universities, the Bavarian State Natural History Collections, the Fraunhofer Society and the Max Planck Society.
