Toy Boats Exhibition

Throughout the year so far I have become really interested in gallery design particularly in museum and cultural spaces. I have always visited the National Maritime Museum since I was very young and have always thought of it as such an under rated museum for all the excellent exhibitions, shows and work it displays. The other day whilst researching one of its galleries I visited its Toy Boats exhibition. If I am honest I do not have the biggest interest in the history of toy boats however the way in which this exhibition and its promotional material was designed was brilliant. 

The way in which the museums design team create such contemporary gallery designs whilst exhibiting about more traditional and historic subjects is inspiring. Furthermore they are able to do it without infringing on the buildings traditional Palladian style but instead incorporating it to emphasis the contrast between the subject and design. 

Instead of the exhibition design coming across as lazy, some designers may think that they have designed without thinking of content, the concept of the exhibition is to document the rapid changes in ship design and technology in the 19th century and the toy boats that were made in response by major toy manufacturers and so the bright colours mimic those that you usually see in a toy shop. Another concept explored, I think, is that fact that toy makers never made accurate replicas of boats, instead they took elements from different boats, simplified and exaggerated them and then combined them to create toys that would express the excitement and adventure children craved and the colours and design are exaggerated of that you would usually associate with the see. 

It is rare to see such vibrant colours and graphics used in a traditional setting whilst discussing maritime history but the contrast between the two complimented each other very well. It is because of the museums bold working direction that it is able to give a lease of new life to subjects that if dealt with in a more sombre tone would come across as pretty boring. 

*You are not usually allowed to take photographs in this exhibitions as most of the toys come from the collection of the Musée national de la Marine in Paris and a number of toys are from British collections and so they can not be photographed. I asked permission to take photos of the walls and colours used so please do not visit the exhibition and take photographs. 

National Maritime Museum Rebranding

I have always been a big fan of the National Maritime Museum. It is a place that I used to visit from a really young age and it always has really imaginative and creative exhibitions on related to the Maritime theme. However something that I have always felt has let it down is its branding. When competing with the other top museums in London, especially as the museum geographically is a bit out of the way, the logo and branding really lets it down.

As the museum is out of the way and so requires people to make the effort to travel away from the hub of the galleries and museums it relies more heavily on the power of its branding and ad campaigns to draw people in. What makes it worth a trip to the Maritime Museum? Its heritage? The parks? The observatory? Contemporary exhibitions? Is this reflective in any of the advertising or branding? No. I have worked with the design section of the museum before on an exhibiton on maritime fashion using works by designers such as Vivianne Westwood, Jean Paul Guieia and Kenzo however you would not expect the museum to put on such a contemporary exhibition when looking at the current branding. 

Luckily there branding is currently undergoing a re-design by Someone in London design group. I am keen to see what this renowned company who have worked with such companies as O2, Coca Cola, Eurostar and the Royal Opera House, do to revamp the museums branding. However I hope that whilst modernising it they still keep in mind and incorporate the heritage of the museum.