Philadelphia Museum of Art reverts to original name after rebrand backlash

The museum's new logo will remain, but the name change to "Philadelphia Art Museum" has been scrapped.

Published on Feb. 4, 2026

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The Philadelphia Museum of Art is reverting to its original name after a controversial four-month rebrand that saw the institution become known as the "Philadelphia Art Museum." The museum's director and CEO, Daniel Weiss, announced the change, citing lack of support from staff, trustees, members, and supporters for the new name. The museum will retain the new griffin logo introduced in the October rebrand, but the name "Philadelphia Museum of Art" will be restored.

Why it matters

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the city's most iconic cultural institutions, and the name change sparked significant backlash from the community. The reversal highlights the challenges museums can face when attempting major rebranding efforts, especially when they stray too far from an institution's established identity and history.

The details

The rebrand to "Philadelphia Art Museum" in October 2025 cost the museum over $1 million. After surveys showed the new name was not resonating with key stakeholders, the museum decided to revert to the original "Philadelphia Museum of Art" name at a cost of around $50,000. The new griffin logo introduced in the initial rebrand will remain.

  • The Philadelphia Museum of Art became the "Philadelphia Art Museum" in October 2025.
  • On February 5, 2026, the museum announced it would revert to the original "Philadelphia Museum of Art" name.

The players

Daniel Weiss

Director and CEO of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Ellen Caplan

Board chair of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

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What they’re saying

“Every rebrand, of some sort or another, often can be controversial. This one was more than just controversial. I think it was problematic. It didn't resonate with our staff, our trustees, our members and our supporters in ways that felt right to us.”

— Daniel Weiss, Director and CEO (whyy.org)

“Dan and the entire team have quickly and importantly found a way to embrace the heritage of the museum, and provide a platform to widen our audience.”

— Ellen Caplan, Board chair (whyy.org)

What’s next

The museum plans to formally revert to the "Philadelphia Museum of Art" name in the coming weeks, while maintaining the new griffin logo introduced in the initial rebrand.

The takeaway

The Philadelphia Museum of Art's swift reversal of its controversial rebrand underscores the importance of maintaining an institution's established identity and brand, especially for iconic cultural organizations with deep community ties. The museum's willingness to quickly course-correct and embrace its heritage shows the value of listening to key stakeholders when making major branding changes.