What it had to solve
The Guggenheim's museums in New York, Venice and Bilbao each had their own story and identity needs, and Abu Dhabi was about to join them; the foundation wanted a single-tier brand that unified the institutions ahead of the 2026 opening.
The idea
Position the four museums as a constellation rather than a group of stars — one single-tier system whose parts stay distinct but visibly connected
How it works
The concept began in 2021, when Abu Dhabi's arrival made a single-tier identity unavoidable. Pentagram partner Harry Pearce led design; Jane Wentworth of Jane Wentworth Associates spearheaded strategy, collaborating with the internal design team. The team's first step was to travel to the museums and interview people. In November 2024 the foundation unveiled a new logo, an open-source typeface and bespoke icons.
What it did
The identity launched in November 2024, ahead of the Abu Dhabi museum's 2026 opening; no audience metrics are reported, but the system gives all four museums one brand voice while keeping each institution's own story.
Background
In November 2024 the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation unveiled a comprehensive brand evolution — a new logo, an open-source typeface and bespoke icons — designed to unify its museums in New York, Venice and Bilbao ahead of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's opening in 2026.
The concept began in 2021, when Abu Dhabi's arrival made a single-tier identity unavoidable. Tina Vaz, the foundation's chief brand and communications officer, described the group as 'an international constellation of museums... four museums on three continents', each its own star but connected by shared values and a commitment to transformative experiences with art. Pentagram partner Harry Pearce led the design; Jane Wentworth Associates spearheaded strategy with the internal team.
Pearce's team started by travelling to the museums and interviewing people, because, as he put it, every museum's story is different — from Bilbao's transformative role in its city to Venice's more intimate scale. The system had to reflect those variations while holding the institutions together.
Why it lands
It treats a federation problem as a design problem: one system, four distinct institutional stories.
An open-source typeface lets the identity travel beyond the foundation's own designers.
A research-first process — visiting and interviewing each museum — kept the unified identity from flattening local character.
What you can take
A federated brand works when the system carries differences inside one structure — each star stays itself inside the constellation.
Since then
The identity was unveiled in November 2024, ahead of Abu Dhabi's 2026 opening. No rollout metrics or public-reaction data appear in the source.
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