Welcome to MoLI, Museum of Literature Ireland, the name and brand identity for a new museum dedicated to the world’s greatest storytellers.

MoLI is a creative alliance to showcase the NLI’s James Joyce collection within UCD‘s most historic property, Newman House. Originally, the proposed name for the museum was The Ulysses Centre, however to give it the gravitas it deserved, we worked in collaboration with museum director, Simon O'Connor, and MoLI was born.

The vision for MoLI is for a 21st century museum with immersive exhibitions. To break down traditional barriers associated with literature, and have an engaging programme that appeals to all ages across a variety of channels.

A vibrant palette supports this bold vision. The starting point was the iconic blue from the first edition of Ulysses, and complementary colours reflective of Dublin Bay were also added. A bright pop of yellow was introduced for playfulness.

The name MoLI draws inspiration from Joyce’s muse Molly Bloom, the mark itself houses a nod to Joyce’s most iconic feature, his glasses, which become a window into his world.

If any institution deserves it's own typeface, it's the Museum of Literature Ireland. A custom typeface for MoLI was created, lending a bespoke visual vernacular. This accessible and legible typeface was created in conjunction with renowned Irish typographer Bobby Tannam. MoLI Deckard has fourteen styles, with some characters and glyphs specially adapted for Irish language.

A 21^st century museum which opened in Autumn 2019, this friendly, accessible and unique space with it's dynamic exhibitions and rich content, has become an iconic space that lives up to the ambitious vision and is a great new edition to Dublin's cultural destinations.

'We felt we had in many ways given CI Studio the impossible brief – a requirement for a name that had to have absolute gravitas and at the same time subvert that seriousness, and mitigate against any perceived elitism that our subject matter might bring.

Working with CI Studio was a light-hearted pleasure – I felt from the beginning we were in the absolute best hands, always listened to intently, and all input from the client side was taken on board enthusiastically. The (apparent) ease with which the team produced our new name and identity speaks to their professionalism and talent. We could not have imagined a better outcome. We continue to work with them, and look forward to growing the brand under their expert guidance.'

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Simon O’Connor,
Director, Museum of Literature Ireland,
MoLI