#8E8E9E · #C8C8D0 · #C83A2E · #2E2E38
Use #8E8E9E as the background. Use #C8C8D0 as the primary accent. Use #C83A2E as secondary. Use #2E2E38 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: MoMA NYC — modern, minimal, bold.
Technical breakdown for the MoMA NYC color scheme. Use these values for web design (HEX/RGB), print projects (CMYK), or specialized design software (HSL).
| Swatch | Design Role | HEX | RGB | CMYK | HSL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background Luminance: 27.6% | 142, 142, 158 | 10%, 10%, 0%, 38% | 240°, 8%, 59% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 58.1% | 200, 200, 208 | 4%, 4%, 0%, 18% | 240°, 8%, 80% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 15.5% | 200, 58, 46 | 0%, 71%, 77%, 22% | 5°, 63%, 48% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 2.8% | 46, 46, 56 | 18%, 18%, 0%, 78% | 240°, 10%, 20% |
Hover states, borders and elevation need lighter and darker steps of your base colors. Here are computed tints and shades for every color in the MoMA NYC palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Every color tested as text on every other color as background. Body copy needs 4.5:1 (AA), large text and UI components 3:1. AAA requires 7:1.
| Text on Background | Preview | Ratio | Grade | Safe For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2E2E38 on #C8C8D0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 8.07:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #C8C8D0 on #2E2E38 |
Aa Sample Text
| 8.07:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #2E2E38 on #8E8E9E |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.16:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #8E8E9E on #2E2E38 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.16:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #C83A2E on #C8C8D0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.08:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #C8C8D0 on #C83A2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.08:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #2E2E38 on #C83A2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.62:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C83A2E on #2E2E38 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.62:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C8C8D0 on #8E8E9E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.94:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8E8E9E on #C8C8D0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.94:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C83A2E on #8E8E9E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.59:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8E8E9E on #C83A2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.59:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
The MoMA NYC palette is built using a triadic relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
A triadic palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.
Need a fifth color? These three companions are computed from the palette's own hue positions on the color wheel, so they extend the scheme without breaking its harmony.
directly opposite #C8C8D0 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #C8C8D0 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
a ink-black carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
To use this MoMA NYC color palette in your web project, you can copy the following CSS variables or Tailwind CSS configuration. These roles ensure your UI maintains accessibility and visual hierarchy.
:root {
/* {name} Palette - ihatecolors.com */{'
'} --color-bg: {colors[0]};{'
'} --color-primary: {colors[1]};{'
'} --color-secondary: {colors[2]};{'
'} --color-text: {colors[3]};{'
'} {'}'}Use #8E8E9E for the main background and #C8C8D0 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
The contrast ratio between #2E2E38 and #8E8E9E is 4.16:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
The MoMA NYC palette contains #8E8E9E, #C8C8D0, #C83A2E, #2E2E38. Click any swatch on this page to copy its value, or export all four at once as CSS variables, Tailwind config, SCSS or a Figma-ready list.
Yes for its strongest pairings: #2E2E38 on #C8C8D0 reaches 8.1:1 (AAA). For body text always keep a 4.5:1 ratio and for large UI elements 3:1 — the full contrast matrix above shows the exact score for every color-on-color combination in this palette.
Beyond its own four colors, #B9B9AC, #CCC7D1, #141415 extend it naturally: the complementary hue for high-energy accents, an analogous neighbor for calm transitions, and a tinted neutral for surfaces. All three are computed from this palette's hues on the color wheel.
MoMA NYC reads as modern, minimal, bold. Muted blue drives the personality, grounded by muted blue — a combination that works best when the light base gets most of the canvas.
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the MoMA NYC palette is free for personal, client and commercial work — websites, branding, apps, print and social content, with no attribution required.
Use the export panel on this page: CSS variables, a Tailwind config block, SCSS variables, or a Figma copy list are generated from MoMA NYC's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.