ACMI
ACMI is Australia's national museum of screen culture, a Victorian Government-owned cultural institution in Melbourne exhibiting film, TV, videogames and digital art; it operates ticketed exhibitions, two cinemas, touring exhibitions, a creative-industry co-working hub, and a free interactive centrepiece exhibition supported by membership and education programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersMelbourne, Australia
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What ACMI does
ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) operates Australia's national museum of screen culture from Federation Square in Naarm/Melbourne, occupying a purpose-built venue with galleries, two cinemas (390 and 168 seats), hire venues up to 700 standing, the ACMI X creative co-working hub, an on-site cafe/bar and ACMI Shop. Its centrepiece product is The Story of the Moving Image, a free interactive exhibition covering film, TV, videogames and art, complemented by rotating ticketed exhibitions (including The Vinyl Factory: Reverb in 2026), a year-round cinema and festival program, and touring exhibitions that travel internationally.
The museum is built on an internal technology stack including XOS (eXperience Operating System), which connects collection data, IoT devices and online content; the Constellation interactive tables; the public ACMI Public Collections API; and ACMI Labs, an experimental platform hosting AI-powered video keyword search and link-discovery tools. A flagship visitor-facing artefact is The Lens, a free NFC-enabled cardboard take-home device with more than 200 building touch points that lets visitors collect objects and continue their journey online. The collection itself, screened since the 1940s, is a primary asset underpinning exhibitions, education programs and licensing.
ACMI is government-owned, operating as one of nine Victorian Government public cultural institutions, and earns revenue across multiple streams: ticketed exhibitions and cinema screenings ($12–$20 plus a $20 annual exhibition add-on), tiered memberships ($25–$350), corporate venue hire, ACMI Shop retail, touring-exhibition licensing, education programs delivered to schools and teachers, corporate partnerships, and tax-deductible donations. GTM is event-driven and segmented across general cultural consumers, schools and educators, creative-industry professionals (via ACMI X), corporate event clients, and members, with acquisition channels spanning social media, newsletters, hosted festivals (MIFF, Melbourne International Games Week), PR, and a dedicated venue-hire sales team.
ACMI firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ACMI
- Legal name
- Australian Centre for the Moving Image
- Website
- https://acmi.net.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- ACMI is Australia's national museum of screen culture, a Victorian Government-owned cultural institution in Melbourne exhibiting film, TV, videogames and digital art; it operates ticketed exhibitions, two cinemas, touring exhibitions, a creative-industry co-working hub, and a free interactive centrepiece exhibition supported by membership and education programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ACMI industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Screen Culture Museum
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (712110), Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows (MPAGAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA), Exhibitions, Trade Shows & Booth Management (HSACADAH)
Keywords
Where ACMI is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Melbourne
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices2 records
Markets served
ACMI business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticketed exhibitions (such as The Vinyl Factory: Reverb at $20 with membership add-on) and cinema screenings at ACMI's two state-of-the-art cinemas.
- Membership Subscriptions: Annual memberships ranging from $25-$350 providing discounted tickets, shop discounts, pre-sales, and member-exclusive previews. Free memberships available for First Nations people, teachers, and concession card holders.
- Venue Hire: Corporate and private event hire of museum spaces including Underground Gallery (700 standing), Swinburne Studio (200 standing/150 seated), Cinemas (390 and 168 seats), and other venues for conferences, launches, screenings, and parties.
- Retail (ACMI Shop): Brick-and-mortar and online shop selling curated merchandise including books, clothing, homewares, posters, gifts, toys, and exclusive ACMI-branded products.
- Touring Exhibitions: Licensing and rental revenue from touring award-winning exhibitions to other venues globally.
- Corporate Partnerships: Sponsorship and partnership arrangements with corporate entities for branding, events, and programming support.
- Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations from public appeal for collection preservation and digitization projects.
- Education Programs: Revenue from school excursion bookings, workshops, professional learning days, and education events.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Standard Annual Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Concession Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium Membership |
| Unit Pricing | Annual | Exhibition Access Add-on |
| Subscription | Annual | Free Memberships |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | NAIDOC Week Shorts 2026 - Full Price |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Matinee Film Screenings |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Vinyl Factory: Reverb Exhibition |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
ACMI product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ACMI is Australia's National Museum of Screen Culture, operating a physical museum at Federation Square in Melbourne with a free permanent interactive exhibition (The Story of the Moving Image), ticketed rotating blockbuster exhibitions, two state-of-the-art cinemas (390 + 168 seats), a creative co-working hub (ACMI X), and a schools and teachers education program. It generates revenue through exhibition and cinema ticket sales, tiered memberships, touring exhibition licensing to global venues, venue hire, retail, cafe services, corporate partnerships, donations, and online retail and film rentals.
Product overview
ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) is Australia's National Museum of Screen Culture — a museum offering exhibitions, films, events, education programs, collection access, and industry co-working spaces. Its core product is The Story of the Moving Image, a free interactive centrepiece exhibition exploring film, TV, videogames and art, complemented by ticketed exhibitions (The Vinyl Factory: Reverb), a dual-cinema program, and touring exhibitions that travel internationally. Key supporting offerings include The Lens (a free handheld take-home collection device), the ACMI Collection (accessible in-person and via a Public Collections API with experimental AI search tools), ACMI X (a co-working and residency hub for creative practitioners), and education programs for schools and teachers. The museum also operates venues for hire, an on-site cafe/bar, a retail shop, and tiered membership programs. XOS (eXperience Operating System) is the underlying software platform powering exhibitions by connecting collection data, IoT devices, and online content through the Lens.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Lens: A free handheld take-home device that lets visitors collect artworks and objects discovered in exhibitions and continue their journey online.
- ACMI X
- FACT Symposium
- ACMI Xcel Accelerator
- ACMI Labs
Products and services
- The Story of the Moving Image ACMI's centrepiece free permanent interactive exhibition tracing the past, present and future of screen culture across film, TV, videogames and art; visitors can use the Lens device to collect favourite moments and continue their journey online.
- The Lens A free handheld take-home device that lets visitors collect artworks and objects discovered in ACMI exhibitions. Made of compressed cardboard with NFC tag and plant-based dyes. Collected items are curated into an online collection accessible via a unique Lens code.
- ACMI Collection A wide-ranging collection of screen culture material including films, TV, videogames and commissioned works acquired and catalogued since the 1940s. Accessible via in-person services, online search, and experimental AI-powered search tools.
- ACMI Public Collections API A public API providing programmatic access to ACMI's collection metadata, enabling external developers to query and use ACMI's work data. Digital initiatives are driven by an open source and open access ethos.
- ACMI X A co-working hub for Melbourne's creative practitioners, startups and businesses working with creative technology across film, TV, videogames and art. Fosters creative fusions and cross-disciplinary partnerships. Location: Level 2, Fed Square, Melbourne.
- ACMI Cinemas Two state-of-the-art cinemas (Cinema 1 with 390 seats and Cinema 2 with 168 seats) hosting ACMI's diverse cinema program including film seasons, festivals, matinees, and special events. Also available for private and corporate hire.
- Touring Exhibitions ACMI creates and produces touring exhibitions celebrating screen culture across film, TV, videogames, digital culture and art. Current touring exhibitions include Game Worlds, Marshmallow Laser Feast: Works of Nature, Play School: Come and Play!, Honk! Untitled Goose Exhibition, plus previously toured titles like Game Masters, DreamWorks Animation, and Goddess: Power, Glamour, Rebellion.
- Schools & Teachers Programs Curriculum-aligned educational programs for primary, secondary and VCE students, including exhibition visits, workshops, talks and film programs. Also offers teacher professional learning, free teacher membership for VIT registered teachers, and the Gandel Digital Future Labs for education.
- ACMI Membership Tiered membership program offering benefits including discounted exhibition entry, cinema and event tickets, 10% off the ACMI Shop, no booking fees, pre-sales, member-only previews, and partner offers. Tiers include Standard ($30/year), Concession ($25/year), Premium ($350/year), free Blak Membership for First Nations people, and free Teacher Membership for VIT registered teachers.
- Venue Hire Event hosting services with multiple spaces including the Lightwell (450 standing), Underground Gallery (700 standing/400 seated), Swinburne Studio (200 standing/150 seated), Cameo (90 seated/255 standing), Gandel Digital Future Lab 1 (50 seated/90 standing), Boardroom (16 seated), and Cinemas for private hire.
- ACMI Shop Retail shop offering a handpicked selection of books, clothing, homewares, posters, gifts, toys and more, including exclusive ACMI merchandise and products from local and independent artists. Located at Fed Square and available online 24/7.
- Cinema 3 An online experience for renting films on demand 24/7. Films available for rental include Boom for Real - The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat and other curated screen culture titles.
- ACMI Cafe + Bar On-site cafe and bar serving snacks, light meals, coffee and drinks. Located on Level 1, open daily with hours extended to accommodate cinema sessions.
Quantifiable outcome
- 1 million+ visitors annually through exhibitions, screenings, commissions and festivals
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use ACMI
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
ACMI technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature5 records
ACMI partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, flagship and supporting.
- Ludo StudiocorePartnership with Emmy-award winning production company behind Bluey, Robbie Hood, and The Strange Chores. Established a 3-month $10,000 residency at ACMI X. Joint development of world-premiere Bluey exhibition opening 2027 with BBC Studios.
- BBC StudioscoreCo-production partner with Ludo Studio and ACMI for the world-premiere Bluey exhibition opening 2027.
- RMIT UniversitymajorMajor research partner for ACMI X co-working hub. Collaborative programs including ACMI + RMIT Young Creators' Lab (2024-), ACMI + RMIT Audience Lab (2018-), ACMI + RMIT Games Prize (2019-). Opens pathways for students and alumni into creative industries.
- Australia Council for the ArtscoreNational Cultural Digital Program partnership for CEO Digital Mentoring Program (2021-23) providing strategic technology and digital mentoring for cultural organisations.
- State Library VictoriacoreFoundry658 initiative - supporting creative people to transform ideas into sustainable businesses. Delivered by ACMI and State Library Victoria as part of Victorian Government's Creative State strategy.
- Gandel FoundationflagshipFlagship Grant providing Gandel Digital Future Labs - two revitalized education studios and support to take education programs into regional Victoria.
- Department of Education VictoriamajorEducation Partner supported through the Department of Education Victoria's Strategic Partnerships Program for school excursion programs.
- Blackmagic DesignmajorMajor Partner for the Blackmagic Design Media Preservation Lab - dedicated to preserving Australia's analogue past while ensuring digital accessibility.
- National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA)supportingSupporting Partner collaborating on collection access and preservation initiatives.
- Launch ViccoreGovernment partner supporting the ACMI Xcel Accelerator where creative technology meets cultural entrepreneurship.
- Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio (MESS)corePartnership with MESS in North Melbourne to support local musicians and producers through new initiative.
- Big Ant StudioscoreGames Lab Presented by Big Ant Studios - ongoing exhibition showcasing game development and interactive experiences.
- Arts Access Victoria (AAV)supportingCollaboration on Sensory Guides development for accessibility services.
- Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect)supportingCollaboration on Sensory Guides development for accessibility services.
- Second StorysupportingLens concept, design and production collaborator.
- Swinburne University's Centre for Design InnovationsupportingLens concept, design and production collaborator.
- LumicomsupportingLens concept, design and production collaborator.
- Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum (DFF)supportingInternational collaboration to create Konstellationen // Constellations - interactive visitor experience inspired by ACMI's Constellation.
- Travellers AidsupportingMobility equipment hire provider based at Flinders Street and Southern Cross stations for visitors with accessibility needs.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ACMI competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Tate Modern: Major global modern-art museum operating exhibition, retail, venue hire, and membership revenue streams — useful broader incumbent comparable for monetisation mix even though art rather than screen focused.
- Barbican Centre: Major London arts and conference centre combining cinema, exhibitions, and large-scale venue hire — overlaps with ACMI's venue-hire, cinema, and multi-format cultural programming model at larger scale.
Direct peers
- BFI Southbank: British Film Institute's flagship London venue combining repertory cinema programming, exhibitions, and a major archive — comparable to ACMI's dual cinema + exhibition + collection mandate.
- Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum (DFF): Frankfurt-based German film museum and an existing ACMI partner (Konstellationen // Constellations), sharing collection-management, exhibition, and interactive visitor experience models.
- Eye Filmmuseum: Amsterdam's museum of film and the moving image, combining permanent exhibitions, rotating shows, cinemas, and a major collection — a directly comparable European screen-culture museum.
- Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI): New York-based museum dedicated to film, television, and digital media — the closest international analogue to ACMI's screen-culture mission, with comparable exhibition, education, and cinema programming models.
Regional players
- Powerhouse Museum (Museums of History NSW): Sydney's large applied-arts and sciences museum with comparable exhibition, education, and event-hire operations — relevant Australian cultural-institution peer for scale and funding-model comparison.
- Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA Australia): Sydney-based contemporary art museum with exhibitions, education, and venue hire at comparable scale — useful Australian cultural-institution comparable for visitor programming and revenue model.
- National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA): Australia's national audiovisual archive and an ACMI supporting partner — overlapping collection-preservation and screen-heritage mandate, though more archive-focused and Canberra-based rather than museum-led.
Emerging players
- Heinz Nixdorf Forum / Futurium: Next-generation interactive museums combining digital media, immersive tech, and education — relevant for benchmarking how screen-culture museums are evolving their interactive tech stacks.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ACMI social profiles
Digital presenceACMI financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ACMI leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
ACMI funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ACMI 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 ACMI
What does ACMI do?
ACMI is Australia's National Museum of Screen Culture, operating a physical museum at Federation Square in Melbourne with a free permanent interactive exhibition (The Story of the Moving Image), ticketed rotating blockbuster exhibitions, two state-of-the-art cinemas (390 + 168 seats), a creative co-working hub (ACMI X), and a schools and teachers education program. It generates revenue through exhibition and cinema ticket sales, tiered memberships, touring exhibition licensing to global venues, venue hire, retail, cafe services, corporate partnerships, donations, and online retail and film rentals.
Is ACMI a public or private company?
ACMI is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was ACMI founded?
ACMI was founded in 2002. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is ACMI based?
ACMI is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does ACMI make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are membership Subscriptions, venue Hire, retail (ACMI Shop), touring Exhibitions, corporate Partnerships, donations and Fundraising and education Programs.
Who are ACMI's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Tate Modern and Barbican Centre. Direct peers are BFI Southbank, Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum (DFF), Eye Filmmuseum and Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI). Regional players are Powerhouse Museum (Museums of History NSW), Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA Australia) and National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA). Heinz Nixdorf Forum / Futurium is listed as an emerging player.
Does ACMI have an API?
Yes. ACMI offers a Public Collections API providing programmatic access to work metadata from the ACMI Collection. The Labs page showcases experimental use of this API, including AI-powered tools for searching keywords inside videos and discovering links between works. The digital initiatives are driven by an open source and open access ethos. Developer documentation is at labs.acmi.net.au/introducing-the-acmi-public-collections-api-40d25dd8e5a4.
What industry is ACMI in?
ACMI's product category is Screen Culture Museum. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAFAA, General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows, with a secondary code of THAHAAAA, Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers). Its NAICS code is 7121 and its SIC code is 7830.