CHEROKEE, NC: Museum of the Cherokee People’s rebranding campaign was awarded Gold in the Campaign category of the 2024 Southeastern Museums Conference Publications Competition. The rebrand, a vibrant reimagining of the Museum’s visual identity, was created by MotCP designer Tyra Maney (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Diné). Maney sourced inspiration from the flora and fauna of Cherokee ancestral homelands, Museum collections, and the organization’s mission, vision, and values, resulting in a fresh, contemporary design rooted in tradition. She accepted the award at SEMC’s 2024 Annual Awards Luncheon, held at the organization’s annual meeting and conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The Museum unveiled its new brand in October 2023 when it announced its new name, ᏣᎳᎩ ᎢᏗᏴᏫᏯᎯ ᎢᎦᏤᎵ ᎤᏪᏘ ᎠᏍᏆᏂᎪᏙᏗ (Tsalagi idiyvwiyahi igatseli uweti asquanigododi), Museum of the Cherokee People. In Cherokee, “Museum of the Cherokee People” approximately translates to: “All of us are Cherokee people. It is all of ours, where the old things are stored.” Museum leadership worked closely with board member and language speaker Marie Junaluska (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) and the Cherokee Speakers Council to determine the Museum’s Cherokee name.
“We were so excited to learn that the Museum’s rebrand, led by Tyra, won Gold at the Southeastern Museums Conference,” says Executive Director Shana Bushyhead Condill (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians). “The recognition of Tyra’s talent and hard work is so appreciated. Tyra held a vision for the Museum’s brand for a long time and was incredibly intentional about every single element—from the meaning behind our Cherokee name, to the historic ties to design in the logo, to the matching of the vibrant colors of our ancestral homelands in the mountains. This design represents who we are as the Museum of the Cherokee People to our core.”
Throughout 2023, Maney has been selected to speak about her process, design for community engagement, and the importance of hiring Native designers to share Native stories at multiple conferences and events, including the 2025 American Institution of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Design Conference, the largest and oldest professional membership organization for design; the American Indigenous Tourism Conference; the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums Conference, and the Southeastern Museums Conference.
The winning design package included a branding guidelines document (rules and guidelines defining how the Museum’s logo, branding elements, colors, and font should be used), along with collateral materials, Museum letterhead, and a business card design. The SEMC Publication Design Competition began in 1988 to recognize and reward excellence in graphic design in southeastern museum publications. The competition encourages communication, effective design, creativity and pride of work, and recognition of institutional image and identity. Awards are selected by an appointed jury of museum professionals from across the region.
The Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC), a nonprofit membership organization, is an association of museums, museum staff, independent professionals, and corporate partners. The organization focuses on the Southeastern United States including: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands.
About the Museum of the Cherokee People
Since 1948, the Museum of the Cherokee People has served its community and visitors as the tribal museum of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI). A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Cherokee, North Carolina on the Qualla Boundary, the sovereign land of the EBCI and ancestral homelands of all Cherokees, the Museum shares the history, culture, and stories of the Cherokee people through its exhibitions, collections, and programs. Learn more at MotCP.org.