Client: Municipality of Bombarral
Year: 2025
Location: Bombarral, Portugal
Museography Project: Blue Line Lda / Carla Ribeiro
Art Direction: Anderson Nielsen / Joana Marinho
Architecture: Rui Bexiga Vale
Cultural Heritage Photography: Anderson Nielsen
Photography: Nuno Antunes
Accessibility Consulting: Accessible Portugal
Exhibition Installation: 4Expo, Lda.
Historical Costumes: Alexandrina de Brito
Video Editing: Blue Line, Lda. / Miguel Costa
Context
Photo: Nuno Antunes.
The municipality of Bombarral, known for its strong connection to agricultural history, archaeology, and the heritage of the Western Railway Line, sought to revitalize the visual and museographic identity of its municipal museum. The project aimed to make the space more engaging, educational, and contemporary, while preserving respect for the local heritage and the historical value of its collections.
Challenge
To create an institutional brand that represents the historical and cultural identity of Bombarral.
To develop an accessible and modern visual language for diverse audiences.
To structure the museography with a focus on narrative, visitor flow, and immersive experience.
To integrate the design concept with the historical and archaeological content of the collection.
Strategy & Concept
The approach was based on the idea that a museum is not merely a space for preservation, but a portal for dialogue between the past, present, and future. We developed a concept grounded in the notion of “layers of time,” reflecting the historical richness of the region — from prehistoric traces to contemporary records of rural and urban life.
Visual Identity
Logotype:
Inspired by archaeological elements, the Gorjão Palace, and the graphic features of the local landscape (vineyard lines, stratigraphy, and ruins), the symbol merges tradition and modernity.
A custom typeface with solid strokes and angular details reinforces the institutional presence.
Colors: Earthy tones and greens evoke nature, land, time, and memory.
Visual System:
We created a modular graphic grid inspired by topography and ancient cartography, serving as the foundation for signage, catalogues, and promotional materials.
Naming of Thematic Rooms:
To strengthen the exhibition narrative and facilitate spatial identification, specific names were created for each museum section:
Origins – dedicated to Archaeology
Sacred – dedicated to Religious Heritage
Forms – dedicated to Sculpture
Words – dedicated to Literature and Theatre
This approach reinforces the museum’s identity and establishes a more symbolic and memorable connection with visitors.
Interior
Signage
The interior signage of the Bombarral Municipal Museum was carefully designed to ensure an intuitive and seamless experience for visitors. Based on the building’s architectural plans and images of the exhibition spaces, visual orientation systems were developed that respect the museum’s historical identity while facilitating navigation between the different thematic areas.
The signage application uses clear typography, accessible pictograms, and materials compatible with the building’s aesthetics, such as wood, brushed metal, and transparent acrylic. Floor plans were integrated into the information panels to visually represent the suggested route, highlighting entrances, exits, accessible pathways, and points of interest. This approach contributed to a more coherent, accessible, and inclusive visitor journey, strengthening the connection between the museological content and the physical space.
Before
After
Behind The Scenes
Select works
Anderson Nielsen
Art director & brand identity design
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Lisboa - Santa Maria - 1100-585 - Lisboa
Tlm: +351 910 064 166
studio@andersonnielsen.com
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Ibiraçu - Espirito Santo - CEP 29670-000 Brasil
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studio@andersonnielsen.com
Contact:
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