Historical Institutions Update Their Brands

I was quite confused after the Ohio Historical Society changed its name to the Ohio History Connection.  After reading The New York Times article by Robin Pogrebin, I now understand the reasoning for the name change:  to sound more inclusive.  After thinking about it, the Ohio History Connection does sound much more modern and inviting than including historical society in the name!  Pogrebin reports in the article that OHC Director Burt Logan realized that the term itself can have a connotation of being exclusive and unwelcoming, which is not what he wanted.  Comments about how the society's name reflected on the society caused Burt to connect the image being portrayed and the audiences trying to be reached.

OHC is not the only historical society re-branding itself to appeal to a more current audience.  The Chicago Historical Society is now the Chicago History Museum and has changed more than just their name.  The museum has been around since 1856, changing both its name and physical presentation in 2006.  The museum placed pieces from their collection in the window so that people passing by could get a better sense of what is inside.  They also have redesigned the lobby including a 1978 Chevy Monte Carlo lowrider to appeal to "today's Chicago" and are taking a more family approach when featuring collections in the museum.

This article also discusses the Fairfield Historical Society in Connecticut and The Lancaster County Historical Society in Pennsylvania.   The Fairfield Historical Society changed its name to the Fairfield Museum in 2007 as part of a "re-envisioning" project for the entire organization.  This includes new programming, like "Talking Heads" with Kieth Richards and Donna Summer and an exhibition called "Fairfield's Rockin' Top Ten."   The Lancaster Historical Society changed its name to LancasterHistory.org in 2009 and changed in part to accommodate other local history institutions brought under its wing.  The name not only appeals to a newer, younger demographic, but also directly links to the museum's web page.

It's institutions like these that not only help inform the new generation about history, but also need community support to stay active.  As long as the name change does not negatively effect or "downplay" what the institution has to offer, I think it is a fantastic idea!    Here's the link to the full article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/26/arts/artsspecial/historical-institutions-update-their-brands.html?_r=0