American Civil War Museum
Simple forms and exposed raw materials imbue wayfinding signs with a strong but understated visual presence in this newly expanded museum facility.
Client
American Civil War Museum
Architect
3north
Location
Richmond, VA
Scope
Wayfinding, Donor Recognition, Signage
Quiet Sophistication
The building houses the consolidated collections of the newly combined American Civil War Center and Museum of the Confederacy. Using a reduced palette in both color and materials, the wayfinding design system provides unified clarity without distracting from the building’s architecture or captivating exhibition displays.
Meaning Through Form
The angular, folded form of the signs references the triangular shape of the state of Virginia as well as the museum’s mission of exploring the Civil War from multiple perspectives. The raw materials of aluminum and steel pay tribute to the museum’s historic site, once home to one of the nation’s largest foundries.
The uncomplicated signage design also allows it to perform several disparate communication tasks—visually unifying the site, creating highly visible navigation, and providing recognition to donors.
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