eTypes Creates a Flexible Visual Identity for the National Gallery of Denmark
Copenhagen-based design studio eTypes has developed a visual identity for Statens Museum for Kunst, the National Gallery of Denmark, creating a flexible graphic system that balances the museum’s institutional heritage with its constantly evolving programme of exhibitions and events.
With a diverse calendar of cultural activities, each requiring its own visual expression, the museum needed an identity capable of adapting to different contexts while maintaining a consistent and recognisable presence.
At the centre of the project is the introduction of SMK, a shorter and more accessible name that establishes a distinctive identity for the institution. Built around three fundamental elements, a typeface, a crown and a frame, the visual system provides a cohesive foundation for the museum’s communication.
The frame serves as the identity’s primary graphic device, functioning as a versatile element that can accommodate artworks, photography, typography and editorial content. Its adaptable nature allows it to change in scale, proportion and composition, responding to the specific requirements of each exhibition while preserving a strong visual connection to SMK.
Typography plays an equally important role in establishing consistency across the identity. The system uses Hill, a typeface developed by PLAYTYPE, the sister type foundry of eTypes. Its distinctive character contributes to a recognisable typographic language that works alongside the frame and crown to unify the museum’s communications.
Rather than imposing a rigid visual style, the identity operates as an adaptable framework, allowing individual exhibitions to develop their own personalities without compromising the overall coherence of the institution. This approach creates a balance between creative freedom and brand recognition, supporting the museum across different media and applications.
Developed through an ongoing collaboration between eTypes and SMK, the first version of the identity was introduced in 2014. In 2026, the system was revisited and expanded, incorporating a revised identity and the addition of SMK Thy, demonstrating its ability to evolve alongside the institution.
Founded in Copenhagen in 1997, eTypes is a multidisciplinary design studio with a team of more than 50 people. Its practice encompasses visual identities, custom typography, digital experiences and print design for international brands and cultural institutions. With typography at the heart of its approach and PLAYTYPE operating as its sister company, the studio develops comprehensive design systems that connect strategic thinking with visual expression.
