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WEBSITE

The U.S. Mint building in San Francisco is a grand national landmark, now being renovated for a use as the city's first historical museum. The San Francisco Museum and Historical Society needed a website that would raise awareness and funding for the building's renovation and establishment of the museum, which will not only house historical exhibits, but host community galleries, a learning center, theater, gift shops and a restaurant and lounge.

The website design reflects the historical nature of the building and its future use as a historical museum. They needed a sophisticated, historical feeling but the museum will be a multi-use facility, very much a part of the thriving San Francisco community, so they also needed a fresh, vibrant image as well. We juxtaposed old and new. Old photos and illustrations were arranged in collages to portray the elaborate history of the city and the building. We used rich tones of brown-reds, gold, and a beige stone texture that reflects the massive stone building. Gold was chosen as a highlight to reflect the building's historical use as a Federal Mint.

The Society also needed a logo for the museum which will be used on collateral media such as advertisements and brochures. The building itself was a natural choice. The phoenix rising behind it represents the city's, and the museum's, ability to rise whole and gloriously from infamous earthquakes and devastating fires. The text treatment and beige shape give the logo a historical feeling. The beige color reflects the massive stone building fondly referred to by locals as, "The Granite Lady".