Publishing: The Museum of Modern Art Has Acquired The MIT Press Colophon, Created By Media Lab Founding Faculty Member Muriel Cooper In 1965

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has acquisitioned the MIT Press colophon into its permanent collection. Created by pioneering graphic designer Muriel Cooper, one of the founding faculty members of the Media Lab, the iconic emblem has graced the spines of all of the books and journals published by the MIT Press since 1965.

The MIT Press colophon, or logo, is made up of seven bars that represent the lowercase letters “mitp” as abstracted books on a shelf. Created during Cooper’s tenure as the first design director at the MIT Press, the colophon is featured on all Press books, journals, digital products, and collateral materials.

“For almost 60 years, the MIT Press colophon has served as the symbol of the Press’s distinctive design and innovative publishing program,” says Amy Brand, director and publisher of the MIT Press. “We are proud of the colophon’s legacy and thrilled that it has been selected and acquired for MoMA’s collection.”