Joliet Area History Museums

Joliet Area History Museums, or JAHM is the head company that governs over local museums in the Joliet Area. These local museums include; The Joliet Area Historical Museum, The Old Joliet Prison, The Martin & Emma Planinsek Slovenian Market Museum, and The Union Depot Tower Museum, with possibilities of adding more in the future. A big part of the marketing for these museums is pushing the idea that they're all on or near route 66. This served as a challenge.

After lots of research and deliberation, I realized this logo needs to be universal and easily applied to each of the museums. The best way to do that is a simple black and white mark. This main logo perfectly represents Joliet Area History Museum’s brand. It’s elegant, professional, clean, and shows the educational nature of museums. My logo focuses on the “JA,” Joliet Area because this is the main thing that connects each of the museums, they’re all in the Joliet Area. The logo features a nice split in the middle that represents the new and old diverse history of Joliet. The two letters being pushed together represents that while they are still different, it’s one story. The mark is a celebration of that. To further connect the route 66 idea, the divide between letters also nods to the idea that it's a road.

An additional way to use the main logo is by using these diagonal lines as a design element. For example here, half the logo is white and half is black. This feels a little more modern, and more interesting. This is another way to show Joliet’s old and new history. It can also represent a road, specifically route 66. A road going through the Joliet area. Roads are also usually cut down the middle as well. I use lots of these same design elements in the stationary application. I wanted this to be more interesting, more than just the logo slapped on. This includes the branded letterhead, envelope, and business card all with these diagonal lines.

A common phrase that is promoted is “Promoting Awareness, Understanding, and Preservation.” I wanted that to be the focus of the brand apparel. A type driven design allows for a good use of repetition as well, it serves as a universal option that can be sold at every location. It connects back to the umbrella logo but relays the same key information about JAHM’s message. A logo needs to be readable from an inch on a business card to all the way on the side of a car or truck.

Graphics Standard Manual