The Smartest, Funniest, Most Informative Museum Ads

18 ads via all types of museums from all the world. Take a look, you just might learn something.

1. State Museum of Architecture in Moscow — "Discover The Full Story" — beautiful brilliant ads.

LEFT — Saint Basil's Cathedral.

RIGHT — Bolshoi Theatre.

See a third ad in the campaign here.

And go here to see behind the scenes sketches of the making of the ads.

Ad agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, Moscow.

2. Denver Museum of Nature and Science. TIL how the Titanic actually sunk.

Via haveyouevercriedwolf.tumblr.com

3. Nice spec campaign for a science museum created by British graphic designer Lucy Frost.

See the rest of the campaign here.

4. Great Cannes Lion-winning campaign for the São Paulo Museum of Art (MASP). Copy transcribed below.

Via adsoftheworld.com

"I saw the failure of a genius. I saw the final years of Vincent Van Gogh. I saw Frenchmen underestimating me. I saw a master die in poverty. I saw a remorseful Europe. I saw millionaires shouting my name at auctions. I saw a new home. I saw adults teaching, I saw children learn. I saw a young building become Brazil’s most visited museum. But, having seen all this, there’s one thing I haven’t seen yet: you. Come. I wish to see you."

5. 2nd ad. Copy below.

Via adsoftheworld.com

"I saw a photographer before photography was invented. I saw Rembrandt. I saw his brush strokes shaping me. I saw the beginning of a new era. I saw Baroque, I saw Impressionism, I saw Realism. I saw Europe. I saw the world. I saw Brazil. I saw a museum flourish. I saw the dream of a man become the biggest museum in Latin America. But, after seeing all that, there’s one thing I haven’t seen yet: you. Come. I wish to see you."

6. The Getty Center in Los Angeles. How to sell art to the artless.

Via adsoftheworld.com

LEFT — Rembrandt, "The Abduction of Europa"

RIGHT — Jean Bourdichon, "Bathsheba Bathing"

Ad agency: M&C Saatchi, Los Angeles.

7.

Via adsoftheworld.com

Ad agency: Trigger, Calgary.

8. Củ Chi Tunnels Museum, Vietnam. Truth.

Via adsoftheworld.com

See two more ads here.

Ad agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Vietnam.

9. Vancouver Police Museum. Great concept.

Via adsoftheworld.com

Ad agency: : Cossette West, Vancouver.

10. At home with Karl Marx at the Museum of Communism in Prague.

Via adsoftheworld.com

Ad agency: Young & Rubicam Prague.

11. Walker Evans exhibit at the São Paulo Museum of Art.

Via adsoftheworld.com

Ad agency: DDB Brazil.

12. Comics Museum in Lucca, Italy. Hilarious campaign.

Via adsoftheworld.com

Ad agency: JWT Italia, Milan.

13. Torture Museum in Amsterdam. The single best human sandwich billboard in the history of humanity.

Via adsoftheworld.com

Ad agency: Y&R Amsterdam.

MORE GREAT MUSEUM ADS:

The brilliant billboards of Science World in Vancouver (13 ads)