Concept branding, collateral, way-finding and website design for the Museum of Natural History, Helsinki.
The name Avata means 'to unlock' in Finnish. The name and logo were inspired by the 3 botanical gardens within the natural history museum. I wanted to explore the concept that visitors could be taken on a sensory journey through the museum using sight, touch and smell.
The logo was formed by first making handmade marks and strokes inspired by the shapes created in the negative space of the type. These were then formed into a pattern that represented a lock, whilst also allowing the viewer to see an 'A' within the logo.
The marketing collateral was designed to be playful. The target audiences were children and families, so choosing a colour palette that would appeal to both demographics was key.
Having items that could be viewed within the museum interacting and breaking up the structured logo created a sense of the museum being unlocked and draws your eye further down the page where you can find information about the museum and exhibitions.
The website was designed with children in mind. Having an option to plan your trip to the museum via a particular sense i.e. touch, sight, smell helps the visitor to get excited for their trip before arriving. There was also an interactive game children could play on the phone whilst inside the museum.
The playful colours and shapes of the museum's identity are used in all way-finding around the museum at children's eye-height to keep them entertained and engaged throughout their exploration.
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