Smithsonian Institution
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1846
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Smithsonian Institution firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Smithsonian Institution industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Smithsonian Institution is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices18 records
Markets served
Smithsonian Institution business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Federal Appropriations: Congressional funding through federal appropriations serves as the primary revenue stream, forming a unique public-private partnership with private philanthropy
- Philanthropic Support: Donations, memberships (Friends of the Smithsonian), and planned gifts from individuals supporting specific museums and programs
- 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
- Food and Beverage: On-site dining at cafes and restaurants including Sweet Home Cafe, Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe, Moongate Cafe, and others across museums
- Ticketed Attractions: Revenue from Cooper Hewitt admission (NYC), IMAX theaters, planetarium shows, ride simulators, carousel rides, and paid parking
- Licensing and Royalties: Intellectual property licensing of collection images, reproductions, and branded merchandise
- Publishing: Smithsonian magazine (award-winning publication), books, and digital content generating subscription and advertising revenue
- Group Sales and Services: Discounted dining vouchers for groups of 10+, specialized group tours, and event hosting services
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free admission at most locations |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Cooper Hewitt Paid Admission |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Smithsonian Carousel |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Udvar-Hazy Center Parking |
| Subscription | Annual | Smithsonian Membership |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels11 records
Smithsonian Institution product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Smithsonian Institution
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Smithsonian Institution technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Smithsonian Institution partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- National Museum of the American LatinoflagshipCongress 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 MuseumflagshipCongress 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 AffiliatescoreNetwork 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.
- AirbusminorAirbus IMAX Theater at Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA, providing immersive cinema experience for air and space exhibits.
- TextronminorSponsor of 'Textron How Things Fly' exhibition at Air and Space Museum featuring interactive experiences on flight principles.
- RTXminorSponsor of 'RTX Living in the Space Age Hall' examining space technologies and infrastructure in daily life.
- Jay I. KislakminorJay I. Kislak World War II in the Air exhibition exploring aviation warfare and military history.
- National Science FoundationminorSponsor of 'National Science Foundation Discovering Our Universe' exhibition on astronomy and cosmological discoveries.
- Northrop GrummanminorNorthrop Grumman Planetarium at National Air and Space Museum providing immersive space exploration experiences.
- Lockheed MartinminorLockheed Martin IMAX Theater at National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves3 records
Smithsonian Institution competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad 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
Smithsonian Institution social profiles
Digital presenceSmithsonian Institution financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smithsonian Institution leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Smithsonian Institution subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries23 records
Smithsonian Institution funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smithsonian Institution M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Smithsonian Institution
What does Smithsonian Institution do?
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.
Is Smithsonian Institution a public or private company?
Smithsonian Institution is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Smithsonian Institution founded?
Smithsonian Institution was founded in 1846. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Smithsonian Institution based?
Smithsonian Institution is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Smithsonian Institution make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Federal Appropriations are the primary driver. The others are philanthropic Support, retail Operations, food and Beverage, ticketed Attractions, licensing and Royalties, publishing and group Sales and Services.
Who are Smithsonian Institution's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Louvre Museum, British Museum and Getty Center. Direct peers are National Gallery of Art, The Henry Ford, American Museum of Natural History and Brookfield Zoo / AZA-accredited Zoos. Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is listed as a regional player. Discovery Inc. (Discovery Channel / Museums) is listed as an others.
Does Smithsonian Institution have an API?
No public API is recorded for Smithsonian Institution.
What industry is Smithsonian Institution in?
Smithsonian Institution's product category is Museum and Cultural Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAA, Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty), with a secondary code of THAJADAA, Art Museums. Its NAICS code is 712110.