Smithsonian Institution

Name

Smithsonian Institution

Legal name

Smithsonian Institution

Website

https://si.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1846

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Museum and Cultural Education Services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Historical Sites (712120)

akta.pro primary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Art Museums (THAJADAA), History Museums (THAJADAB), Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD), Natural History Museums (THAJADAC), Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF), Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)

Keywords

• Museum operations
• Cultural education
• Scientific research
• Public exhibitions
• History preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Federal Appropriations: Congressional funding through federal appropriations serves as the primary revenue stream, forming a unique public-private partnership with private philanthropy
2. Philanthropic Support: Donations, memberships (Friends of the Smithsonian), and planned gifts from individuals supporting specific museums and programs
3. Retail Operations: Museum stores and online Smithsonian Store selling merchandise, books, and 250th anniversary commemorative items. Physical stores at each museum plus e-commerce at smithsonianstore.com
4. Food and Beverage: On-site dining at cafes and restaurants including Sweet Home Cafe, Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe, Moongate Cafe, and others across museums
5. Ticketed Attractions: Revenue from Cooper Hewitt admission (NYC), IMAX theaters, planetarium shows, ride simulators, carousel rides, and paid parking
6. Licensing and Royalties: Intellectual property licensing of collection images, reproductions, and branded merchandise
7. Publishing: Smithsonian magazine (award-winning publication), books, and digital content generating subscription and advertising revenue
8. Group Sales and Services: Discounted dining vouchers for groups of 10+, specialized group tours, and event hosting services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Smithsonian Institution operates 19 museums, galleries, and the National Zoological Park, along with 21 libraries, 9 research centers, and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. It provides free admission to exhibits and educational programs, conducts scholarly research, and disseminates knowledge through publications, broadcasts, and digital media. The institution also operates the Smithsonian Channel, Smithsonian Journeys travel programs, and a museum store network.

Product overview

The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, offering a diverse portfolio of digital and physical products. The core offering consists of 21 museums and the National Zoo providing free admission (with exceptions). Digital products include Smithsonian Open Access (5.1+ million downloadable images), Smithsonian 3D Digitization (3D models), multiple podcasts (Sidedoor, AirSpace), and Smithsonian Theaters (IMAX and Planetarium experiences). The institution also offers educational programs, research resources through libraries and archives, Smithsonian Magazine and Channel subscriptions, membership programs, the Smithsonian Store retail platform, and travel experiences via Smithsonian Journeys. These products serve visitors, researchers, educators, students, and lifelong learners across physical museum locations and digital platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Smithsonian Open Access: Digital platform providing access to over 5.1 million 2D and 3D images from Smithsonian collections for free reuse
• Sidedoor Podcast
• AirSpace Podcast
• Smithsonian Magazine
• Smithsonian Channel
• Smithsonian Journeys
• Smithsonian Libraries
• Smithsonian 3D Digitization
• Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service

Products and services

• Smithsonian Museums and National Zoological Park

Quantifiable outcome

• 21 museums and National Zoo with mostly free admission serving millions of visitors annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• National Museum of the American LatinoflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Congress authorized this new museum in 2020 to tell the American Latino story. Currently in development as part of the Smithsonian's expansion.
• Smithsonian American Women's History MuseumflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Congress authorized this new museum in 2020 to highlight women's history and contributions. Currently in development as part of the Smithsonian's expansion.
• 200+ Smithsonian AffiliatescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of over 200 affiliate museums and institutions across nearly every US state, extending the Smithsonian's reach beyond physical locations through traveling exhibitions and collaborative programming.
• AirbusminorOthersAirbus IMAX Theater at Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA, providing immersive cinema experience for air and space exhibits.
• TextronminorOthersSponsor of 'Textron How Things Fly' exhibition at Air and Space Museum featuring interactive experiences on flight principles.
• RTXminorOthersSponsor of 'RTX Living in the Space Age Hall' examining space technologies and infrastructure in daily life.
• Jay I. KislakminorOthersJay I. Kislak World War II in the Air exhibition exploring aviation warfare and military history.
• National Science FoundationminorOthersSponsor of 'National Science Foundation Discovering Our Universe' exhibition on astronomy and cosmological discoveries.
• Northrop GrummanminorOthersNorthrop Grumman Planetarium at National Air and Space Museum providing immersive space exploration experiences.
• Lockheed MartinminorOthersLockheed Martin IMAX Theater at National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves3 records

Broad incumbents

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Largest art museum in the US with comparable global brand recognition, NYC visitor base, and major exhibitions. Comparable to the Smithsonian's art museums (American Art, Hirshhorn, Freer/Sackler) but specialized in art rather than a multi-discipline complex.
• Louvre Museum: World's most-visited museum with comparable iconic collections, ticketed admission, and global brand. Comparable to the Smithsonian's flagship institutions in scale and cultural significance, though art-focused rather than multi-discipline.
• British Museum: National museum of the UK with comparable encyclopedic scope, free admission, and global cultural authority. Closest international analog to the Smithsonian's multi-discipline museum complex, though concentrated in a single London location.
• Getty Center: Major art institution with free admission, large endowment, and digital Open Content program. Comparable to the Smithsonian's art museums and Open Access initiative in combining accessible cultural content with a deep digital asset strategy.

Direct peers

• National Gallery of Art: DC-based federal art museum with free admission and world-class collections. Directly comparable to the Smithsonian's American Art, Freer/Sackler, and Hirshhorn museums in government stewardship, free admission, and DC audience.
• The Henry Ford: Michigan-based American history and innovation complex with paid admission, IMAX, and large institutional membership. Comparable to the Smithsonian's American History and Air and Space museums in subject matter and immersive experience.
• American Museum of Natural History: NYC-based natural history and science museum with free/Pay-What-You-Wish admission and major exhibition programming. Directly comparable to the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and National Air and Space Museum in scientific content and audience.
• Brookfield Zoo / AZA-accredited Zoos: Accredited zoological parks with free or low-cost admission, conservation programming, and educational missions. Directly comparable to the Smithsonian's National Zoo in operations, conservation research, and public education.

Regional players

• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): NYC-based modern art museum with comparable brand authority and membership model. Comparable to the Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in modern/contemporary art, sharing the NYC visitor market.

Others

• Discovery Inc. (Discovery Channel / Museums): Media and attractions company with Smithsonian Channel partnership and science/nature/history content focus. Comparable to the Smithsonian's Channel, Magazine, and podcast properties in delivering educational content at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/smithsonian
• Facebookfacebook.com/Smithsonian
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/5875
• Instagraminstagram.com/smithsonian
• Xx.com/smithsonian

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smithsonian Institution