Brief: Develop a brand identity for the National Museum of Geology in Trondheim, Norway. The Museum wanted to create an educational and empowering identity aimed at people interested in learning about how they can play their part in preserving the environment for future generations.

Research: Audience research: ‘Friluftsliv’ is a Norwegian philosophy about the love and connection with the natural environment, which many people practice. Norwegians spend much of their free time outdoors and enjoy learning about how to look after it.

Norway: Norway’s natural environment is known for its clarity and purity of light and colours.

Competitor analysis: Norway’s natural history museums have a formal, traditional identity and visitor experience. There is an opportunity for a more contemporary identity, with greater interactivity, to help visitors to take action.

Geology and minerals: The minerals themselves are valuable, crystalline, refract and reflect light. They can be formed through the evaporation of water or crystallization of magma.

Insight: The Norwegian philosophy of ‘Friluftsliv’ can be distilled into the proposition: “Yesterday, today and tomorrow’s earth”.

Visual keywords were developed to inspire the design direction: crystalline, refraction, energising.

Solution: A unified brand identity was created across the brand touchpoints, including printed collateral and signage and wayfinding. The aspiration was to provide the visitor with an inspiring and memorable experience.

The name and logo design centres on the value and beauty of precious stones and the natural environment. The logo is inspired by the shape of the stones themselves.

The three-dimensional faceted typeface design is inspired by the crystalline and refractive nature of many minerals. The colour palette expresses the clarity and purity of the light and colours in the Norwegian natural environment.

The museum name, tone of voice and copy aims to empower visitors to take action: to explore, preserve and protect their Precious Earth.