The National Children’s Museum is a nationally recognized, cultural and educational institution serving children and families onsite, online, and through national partners and program. As a Museum Without Walls, the museum travels throughout the country with exhibits, programs, and workshops. The National Children’s Museum’s mission is simple: inspire children to care about and improve the world.

Formerly the Capital Children’s Museum, which served the DC community for 30 years and closed its doors in 2004, the National Children’s Museum is slated to open its doors in 2013 at National Harbor. This 150,000 square-foot center will be a place where children can learn, explore, and connect with opportunities to get involved and make a difference in their community, country, and world. Designed by world-renowned architect, Cesar Pelli, the state-of-the-art facility will utilize sustainable choices in its design, exhibits, programs, and services, and serve as an inspiration to all who visit.

What they needed

Everything: a look, a feel, a brand. Where to start? The National Children’s Museum needed to look like more than just an idea, so that companies and investors would be inspired to help it grow. The team had 30 years of inspiration from which to draw in the Capital Children’s Museum—but the look needed to be completely fresh and new.

What we did

Fuszion developed a vibrant and youthful brand with a sophisticated edge, which was unusual for a children’s museum. The team ignored the typical clichés that seemed to define the kid-museum-look, setting the National Children’s Museum apart. The new brand not only captured the institution’s vision for itself, but it also made the museum feel as if it was an established, and credible place—despite the fact that no physical space existed yet.

• A enduring, modern and sophisticated brand identity that would bridge the Capital Children’s Museum’s 30-year history with the National Children’s Museum’s vision for the future.
• Cohesive collateral materials with clean design, diverse photography and fun graphic elements to give the pieces energy and youth.
• A look and a voice that would set The National Children’s Museum apart from other children’s museums and appeal to variety of audiences from corporate supporters, educators to parents, and be inclusive to all ethnicities.

Results

Fuszion gave The National Children’s Museum a polished and cohesive identity that made it feel as if it was an established and trusted brand. Avoiding typical kid-museum clichés, such as crayon handwriting, and primary colors, Fuszion made the institution stand out from other children’s museums. The client is still using collateral and stationery developed in 2005—and it looks as fresh today as it did nearly half a decade ago. As a result, The National Children’s Museum has been able to build equity in its brand as it continues to raise awareness and funds.