Nick Bell Design

After four years in development, the Benjamin Franklin Museum in Philadelphia is finally open. Since 2009 and we have worked closely alongside lead consultant Casson Mann as exhibition graphic designers to fully refurbish and create a new biographical museum for one of the most significant figureheads in American history. The subterranean museum, beneath Venturi, Scott Brown's 'ghost house' in Franklin Court, is divided into five themes, each one presenting a different side of his character: family man; printer; citizen; scientist; and diplomat. The graphic interpretation design is a modern take on eighteenth century book and editorial design layouts, using bright colour highlights and a modern serif typeface that references historical printing types like Plantin.