MASS MoCA

All Projects
Selected Projects: Exhibitions, Publications, Branding
About

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The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) is a globally renowned art museum set within a campus of 19th-century factory buildings and courtyards. With 300,000 square feet of gallery space, it is the largest museum for contemporary visual and performing arts in the United States. Since its opening in 1999, it has established itself as the ideal exhibition space for well-known and emerging artists to experiment with large-scale, immersive installations that would be impossible to realize in conventional museums. Some notable past exhibitions include a cold water plunge installation by Taryn Simon, a rideable sculptural roller coaster by EJ Hill, and an animatronic djinn head by Osman Khan that opens only when the correct password is spoken. Other renowned exhibitions currently on long-term view include a Sol LeWitt retrospective showcasing 105 wall drawings, and a James Turrell retrospective with one of the largest skyspaces in the world.

Field
Branding
Year 2018–present

Location
MASS MoCA

RoleGraphic Design & Vinyl Installer

DeliverablesWayfinding, Signage, Maps, Campaigns, Invitations, Development Materials, Educational Materials

Building trust through clear navigation

Built between 1870 and 1900, MASS MoCA's campus was originally a textile mill whose vast industrial architecture presents a unique wayfinding challenge. The museum spans ten primary buildings connected across multiple levels, with galleries often having multiple entrances and exhibitions extending throughout indoor and outdoor spaces. In collaboration with the Visitor Experience Department, I refined a wayfinding system that transforms a complex industrial campus into an intuitive visitor experience, strengthening visitors' trust in the museum's wayfinding while reinforcing the guidance from front-of-house staff.

The wayfinding system prioritizes clarity, accessibility, and consistency to create a visual language that stands out within the museum's raw architecture. Beginning in the parking lot, visitors are guided by MASS MoCA red and Futura Bold, which establish consistent navigational cues that lead visitors through the courtyards to a trailhead-inspired welcome sign in the lobby. The visitor map, available in both English and Universal Spanish, distills the campus into a clear overview, helping visitors understand where to begin and how the buildings connect. Inside the galleries, visitors can rely on high-contrast directional signs with airport-inspired pictograms to maintain their orientation as they move through thresholds, intersections, and stairwells. To ensure the system felt intuitive, I conducted usability tests during the museum's COVID closure, using participant feedback to improve placement, typography, and information hierarchy. Each intervention was designed to appear only where visitors make navigational decisions, reducing visual clutter near artworks while anticipating moments of uncertainty.

Past MASS MoCA visitor’s map cover designs

Communicating a robust programming through a cohesive brand

Alongside its visual art exhibitions, MASS MoCA presents more than 75 performances and artist residencies each year, including contemporary dance and theater, concerts, comedy, and music festivals. The museum also hosts a variety of educational events through its Public Programs Department, often connecting interdisciplinary activities with visual and performing artists.

Located in rural western Massachusetts, MASS MoCA relies on a flexible brand system to communicate the breadth of its programming while remaining immediately recognizable. Working across print, digital, and environmental formats, I helped maintain and evolve the museum’s visual identity by refining campaign imagery, establishing typographic hierarchy, and ensuring consistency across marketing materials.

Each campaign centered on a carefully selected hero image that captured the spirit of the event. I edited photography through cropping and color adjustments, highlighting an artist's work, the energy of a performance, or a compelling visual narrative. I balanced imagery with bold typography and MASS MoCA’s signature red logo to create cohesive compositions that are visually striking, informative, and easy to read. While the institutional brand remained consistent, each exhibition also received its own visual identity, allowing it to develop a distinct voice while remaining recognizably part of the MASS MoCA brand.

Deepening relationships with supporters and building anticipation creatively

Working closely with the Development Department, I designed print and digital communications that strengthened MASS MoCA's membership, stewardship, and fundraising efforts. These materials cultivated lasting relationships with the museum's supporters by celebrating milestones and inviting members to help envision the museum's future.

An important part of thanking MASS MoCA members for their support was inviting them to the museum’s recurring exhibition opening receptions. The reception invitations were often produced before installations were complete, requiring creative visual storytelling to evoke the character of an exhibition before gallery photography was available. In close collaboration with artists and curators, I developed tailored designs that revealed carefully selected details or early glimpses of each exhibition, building anticipation through thoughtful composition while honoring the artists' vision. Each piece reflected the same care and attention that the museum invested in its exhibitions, reinforcing its commitment to artists, supporters, and the broader community.

Creating flexible systems for creative learning

Nestled above MASS MoCA's entrance is Kidspace, a free creative makerspace where visitors of all ages engage with art through hands-on activities, educational resources, and interdisciplinary programs. In collaboration with the Public Programs Department, I helped shape Kidspace's visual environment during a period of transition. I created a series of evergreen educational signs introducing color theory that could be easily rearranged as the layout changed. Self-guided tour pamphlets in both English and Spanish, along with modular Art Bar trays containing artmaking materials and instructions, became staple features of Kidspace, allowing museum educators to quickly refresh activities for new exhibitions without redesigning the underlying system. As Kidspace continued to evolve, I developed flexible systems that could grow alongside the space while maintaining a cohesive visual identity.