For more than 70 years, Burritt on the Mountain has had a front-row view of Huntsville’s transformation.

Now, Burritt is embracing one of its own.

Burritt unveiled a new brand and visual identity Tuesday, replacing a logo that has represented the mountaintop destination since 2009 with a look designed to reflect what Burritt has become and where CEO Melanie Thornton believes it can go next.

“Our city has changed tremendously over the last two decades,” Thornton said. “New people have moved here from across the country and around the world. Our community is more dynamic than ever.”

The transformation is more than a new logo, reflecting a larger question about how a 70-year-old institution evolves alongside a rapidly changing Huntsville.

“How do we make sure Burritt continues to serve the community Huntsville is today and the community it’s becoming?” Thornton said. “We were founded more than 70 years ago as Huntsville’s first museum, and preserving and sharing history will always be at the heart of who we are. But preserving history doesn’t mean standing still.”

The new identity follows Burritt’s 70th anniversary and comes just over two years after Thornton was named CEO in August 2024. Thornton brought more than two decades of experience in public history, museum management, nonprofit leadership and communications to the role, succeeding longtime CEO Leslie Ecklund.

“We weren’t interested in simply creating a new version of what people might expect, because Burritt has never fit neatly into one box,” Thornton said.

On any given day, Burritt can be a classroom, a concert venue, a wedding destination or simply a quiet place to walk a trail and look out over Huntsville.

“We are a place where school children discover something new, where families make memories, friends gather for a concert or a Wednesday evening overlooking the city, and couples begin an entirely new chapter of their lives,” Thornton said.

And in a city increasingly associated with growth and speed, Thornton sees value in what happens when visitors reach the top of Monte Sano and slow down.

“Burritt also offers something people increasingly need, a place to slow down,” she said. “Long before any of us were here, people came to Monte Sano seeking fresh air, rest and renewal. I think that is even greater today.”

The new branding was developed with Huntsville-based Bold Agency, led by founder and CEO Lauren Gowins.

Gowins said the design draws from the place itself, incorporating details inspired by Burritt’s ironwork, gardens, outdoor landscape and views from the mountain.

“From the ironwork-inspired details of the font ligatures to the floral elements that represent the gardens and outdoor landscapes, to a sunset color palette that represents Burritt’s iconic views, we wanted this branding to feel distinctly Burritt,” Gowins said.

The work has been years in the making.

Marketing Director Elizabeth Jones, who has been with Burritt since 2012, said the launch represented a significant moment for an institution she has watched evolve.

“Today marks a bold new chapter in Burritt’s history,” Jones said. “What started as an idea seed a couple years ago has turned into a reality. And the big reveal is finally here.”

Jones noted the outgoing logo was adopted in 2009 and served Burritt for 17 years, spanning a period of significant growth for the museum.

Visitors will begin seeing the changes beyond Burritt’s marketing materials almost immediately. A new street sign is expected to replace the existing signage at the base of the mountain this weekend, and a redesigned website is also scheduled to launch.

But Thornton said looking forward doesn’t mean letting go of what has made Burritt special for generations. 

Instead, the new identity is intended to encompass a place where Huntsville’s past and present are visible almost simultaneously.

“In one moment, you can connect with the stories and traditions that shaped our community, and the next look out from the view and see a city that is growing, constantly changing, and looking forward to the future,” Thornton said.

That idea is captured in the language accompanying Burritt’s new brand: “A fresh perspective awaits.”

“And whether you come here to experience history in a new way, to learn something new you didn’t know, to take in the view, or simply unplug, slow down and reconnect,” Thornton said, “we hope you’ll discover something a little different every time you come up to the mountain.”

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