One of Philadelphia's iconic landmarks and cultural institutions is changing its name and logo, but most people may not notice.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art reintroduced itself as the Philadelphia Art Museum Wednesday in an effort to increase the legibility and accessibility of its brand, especially ahead of next year's celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
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Sasha Suda, director and CEO of the museum, said the new name is not meant to be a revolutionary change, but one that more residents and tourists could more easily connect with.
"We've come to learn that over 80% of the people living in Philadelphia and this region already call us that," she said. "Even our friends abroad, when they talk about coming to see this collection, they call it the Philadelphia Art Museum."
Its new logo depicts a griffin, which symbolizes a protector of the arts. The design was inspired by the sculptures on the corners of the art museum's building and serves as an homage to its 1938 logo.
Ryan Moore, executive creative director and partner at Gretel, the design studio behind the rebrand, said the new look is the result of over a year of research and a collaborative effort to make the museum more appealing to new audiences.
As part of this mission, Suda shared plans to open at least half of the museum's lower level to students on a regular basis for hands-on learning opportunities and to expand its music programming by continuing its weekly DJ residencies and potentially adding a musical artist-in-residence next year.
"We are aiming to open our doors so wide that maybe we won't even need them, eventually," Suda said. "Because we're really here to represent the communities that we exist to serve."
The museum also announced a new partnership with the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, the North Philly organization that preserves the tradition of urban horse riding. The year-long campaign is intended to help make the arts more inviting, especially to the city's communities of color.
fletcher street urban riding clubMolly McVety/PhillyVoice
Members of the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club ride outside the Philadelphia Art Museum on Wednesday, when a partnership between the group and the institution was announced.
"Today we celebrate the Philadelphia Art Museum's commitment to expand our outreach deep into the city," said Darrin Ferrell, vice president of the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club. "Art is not just what you hang on the wall, it's what you do in your life. ... This partnership connects beautiful history here and the legacy that we are creating right now in Philly."
With the city's busy lineup coming in 2026, institutions are betting on more tourism and promoting more community involvement.
"We want to make sure that our mark is out there and it's very clear who we are and what we do," Suda said. "I think we have the right, bold brand to make sure everybody knows exactly what's going on."