Vignelli Center Open House
Please join RIT's Vignelli Center for Design Studies for Open Houses!
Want to see original artifacts from the archives but don’t know where to start? Archives can feel like mysterious places hidden behind locked doors. Now you can have a look! No appointment required. Free and open to the public.
Each month we will feature different content from our archives, from the Vignellis and beyond. We will also have hands-on activities, special guests, related events, and, of course, tons of unique artifacts for you to see. You can drop in and stay for a few minutes or stay for hours. Open Houses run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
As always, our galleries are open to the public and feature the greatest hits of the design work of Massimo and Lella Vignelli. But during Open Houses, our archivist will be digging deep into the archives to show you one-of-a-kind original sketches and other artifacts of the Vignelli design process. You can see the designs that you know and love, but expect many surprises even if you are a Vignelli “superfan!”
Enter through University Gallery and stop by our design: Vignelli exhibition on the second and third floors then make your way up to the fourth floor to see hundreds of artifacts from the archives.
No registration necessary. If you need a visitor parking pass, stop by the RIT Visitor’s Center to get one. Nearest parking lots are E of F. see https://maps.rit.edu/ for maps of the RIT campus.
Follow us on social media to hear more details about themes and special activities. We can’t wait to see you!
Note: To protect the artifacts, especially in our tight spaces, we will provide you with a place to leave food/drinks, large backpacks and coats during your visit.
Open houses are also scheduled for March 22-23.
Feb. 22-23 theme: Typography
Massimo Vignelli was never shy about expressing opinions about type. But he also would say “today I say it, tomorrow I deny it.” The sheer number and variety of typefaces found in the Vignelli archives might come as a surprise. On February 22, 1991 the exhibition “A Few Basic Typefaces…” opened in NYC and featured Vignelli designs using only four typefaces: Bodoni, Century, Garamond, and Helvetica. We’ll revisit this exhibition showing many of the original designs on its 32nd anniversary. We’ll also be showing just how much variety there is in typography in the Vignellis’ work including creative uses of type and custom typeface designs.
Event Snapshot
When and Where
Who
Open to the Public
Interpreter Requested?
No