What’s in a name? Does a name really mean all that much? In the case of the Frist Art Museum — formerly known as the Frist Center for the Visual Arts — the answer is a resounding yes. The term “museum” typically applies to institutions that have permanent collection to care for, and the Frist has always been a home for changing exhibitions. But the Frist was also a victim of a dated trend: naming institutions ambiguously. To update its image, the Frist updated its name. The only thing that could make this bold move even more appreciated would be for the museum to start putting together its own art collection — it might take another 15 years, but in a town that was once known primarily for the Grand Ole Opry and Hee Haw, stranger things have happened. LAURA HUTSON HUNTER
Best Marketing Move
The Frist Rebranding as an Art Museum
Photo: Kendyl Matthews
