Art Museum unveils new logo

The boxing up is already underway at the Art Museum of Western Virginia. It’s a tedious process, as as each piece of artwork from small to large prepares to make the move across Market Square.

The museum is now closed to the public. It’s goodbye graffiti wall is full, a way for people to say farewell, we’ll miss you.

The museum’s director, Georganne Bingham admitted that “there is a lot of nostalgia” for the old museum, located inside Center in the Square.

Mayor Nelson Harris agreed.

“Yeah I guess there is some nostalgia that this is going to close. It will never the art museum again. But, that pales in comparison to the excitement that we’re going to have come November.“

That’s when the new building with its new name, the Taubman Museum of Art, will open.

That name got a new logo Thursday, unveiled to a packed house. Its design and colors are quite intentional, mimicking the colors of the museum and the lines of its roof and the surrounding mountains. Thursday was also a chance for the museum to thank one of its long-time supporters. Harris, who was defeated for re-election last month, was praised for his work to make the museum happen.

So too was the city. The museum honoring Roanoke by naming its atrium after the Star City.

“We couldn’t have done this without the city’s help,“ Bingham said.

What was once just a dream is now even closer to reality. The old is now closed, the new is 95% done. We’re almost there.