Museum of the African Diaspora

What Museum of the African Diaspora does

Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit contemporary art museum founded in 2005 in San Francisco's Yerba Buena Arts District. It occupies the ground floor of the St. Regis tower at 685 Mission Street and operates across three floors, serving the Bay Area and visiting public through a portfolio of exhibitions (UNBOUND, Liberatory Living, Continuum, Helina Metaferia's "What We Carry"), residencies (Poets-in-Residence, Chef-in-Residence, Cultural Critic-in-Residence), and education/outreach programs including MoAD in the Classroom for Title I schools and the Emerging Artists Program for Bay Area Black artists. MoAD is a Smithsonian Affiliate and holds NARM reciprocal membership status, providing member access to 700+ partner cultural institutions; in 2023 it established a historic joint curatorial position with SFMOMA, filled in December 2025 by Cornelia Stokes.

The business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue mix: earned revenue comes from general admission ($15 adult, $7 seniors/students, free for youth, members, and second-Saturday community days), tiered annual memberships spanning $55 (Senior/Educator/Student) to $250,000+ (Visionary), private event rentals across multiple museum spaces, a Diaspora Dinner culinary event ($295–$1,000 per ticket), guided tours priced by audience segment ($50 Title I to $650 corporate), and a museum bookstore. Contributed revenue comes from individual donations, corporate sponsorships tiered from $5,000 (Curator Partner) to $250,000 (Visionary Partner) with named partners including Kaiser Permanente, Salesforce, Golden State Warriors, Wells Fargo, and CommonSpirit Health, and foundation grants from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Ford Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Hearst Foundations, and others, plus federal funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Go-to-market is community-led and direct-to-consumer: the museum drives engagement through exhibitions, public programs (artist talks, African Book Club, African Diaspora Film Club, MoAD Mix), regional convening via Nexus: SF/Bay Area Black Art Week, and earned media coverage (NYT, SF Chronicle, Black Enterprise, Mission Local, ArtNews). Customer segments include general art enthusiasts, K–12 students and educators in Title I schools, Bay Area Black emerging artists, teens in arts career pipelines, corporate/private event clients, and museum members/donors across nine named donor-circle tiers.

Name

Museum of the African Diaspora

Legal name

Museum of the African Diaspora

Website

https://moadsf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) is a San Francisco-based 501(c)(3) contemporary art museum that exhibits, interprets, and educates around African Diaspora art and culture for Bay Area visitors, K–12 students, and Black emerging artists through exhibitions, residencies, and community programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art Museum Services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Museums (THAJADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)

Keywords

• Contemporary art museum
• African diaspora art
• Arts education programs
• Cultural institution nonprofit
• Community arts programming

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Fees: Ticket sales for museum entry with tiered pricing for adults, seniors, students, and youth. Free admission for members and military personnel.
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership subscriptions with multiple tiers from $55 (Senior/Educator/Student) up to $250,000+ (Visionary level), providing unlimited admission, guest passes, and exclusive event access.
3. Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals, foundations, corporations, and government funders supporting the nonprofit's mission.
4. Event Rentals: Private event hosting including corporate events, product launches, cocktail receptions, holiday parties, film screenings, performances, and fundraisers at rental fees supporting public programs and exhibitions.
5. Sponsorship Revenue: Corporate partnership and sponsorship arrangements with companies at various levels (Curator Partner $5,000 to Visionary Partner $250,000) providing recognition, event hosting, and marketing benefits.
6. Gift Shop/Bookstore: MoAD Bookstore offering merchandise with 10% discount for members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) is a contemporary art museum that operates exhibitions, educational programs, residencies, public programs, special events, and venue rentals centered on African Diaspora art and culture. Its core offerings include general museum admission, tiered memberships, guided tours for schools and groups, signature fundraising galas (Diaspora Dinner, Afropolitan Ball), and an annual Emerging Artists Program awarding $10,000 to selected Bay Area Black artists. The museum generates revenue across admissions, memberships, donations, sponsorships, grants, retail, and private event rentals as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Smithsonian Affiliate.

Product overview

The Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) is a contemporary art museum offering a diverse portfolio of exhibitions, educational programs, and community events. The museum operates as a unified cultural institution with multiple interconnected offerings: core exhibitions (UNBOUND, Liberatory Living, Continuum, and Emerging Artist Program shows), educational programming (MoAD in the Classroom, Summer Teen Program, Education Lab, and Tours), residency programs (Poets-in-Residence, Chef-in-Residence, Cultural Critic-in-Residence), public programming (African Book Club, Film Club, Artist Talks, MoAD Mix), special events (Diaspora Dinner, Afropolitan Ball, Nexus Black Art Week), membership and admission services, and venue rentals. The museum serves as both a physical destination for visitors and a community engagement hub, operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and Smithsonian Affiliate.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Emerging Artists Program (EAP): Emerging Artists Program supporting Black artists in the Bay Area with solo exhibitions and $10,000 awards
• Nexus: SF/Bay Area Black Art Week
• Afropolitan Ball
• Diaspora Dinner
• MoAD in the Classroom (MIC)
• MoAD Teens

Products and services

• General Museum Admission Ticketed entry to MoAD's contemporary African Diaspora exhibitions and galleries. Adult admission $15, Seniors/Students/Educators $7, Youth under 12 free. Free admission second Saturday of each month via Thrive @ MoAD (sponsored by Kaiser Permanente). Free for MoAD members and Active Duty Military.
• Museum Membership Annual membership program with tiered benefits including unlimited free admission, guest passes, event discounts, bookstore discounts, and donor circle access. Tiers range from $55 (Senior/Educator/Student) to $250,000+ (Visionary), with new MoADmirer tier ($185) including NARM Association Membership, Supporter ($325), and Enthusiast ($625) levels.
• Guided Tours In-person guided tours of exhibitions for school groups (K-12, College/University) and non-school groups (seniors, non-profits, corporate). School tours $50-$200; Group tours $200-$650. Virtual tours available upon request. Booking via AppointmentQuest scheduler.
• Private Event Rentals Private event hosting at museum venue. Event spaces include First Floor Lobby (capacity 100), Freedom Theatre (seated 24), Salon (capacity 160), Second Floor Gallery (capacity 60), and Third Floor Gallery (capacity 120). Supports corporate events, product launches, cocktail receptions, holiday parties, film screenings, performances, and fundraisers.
• MoAD in the Classroom (MIC) Arts-based visual literacy and cultural studies program for 3rd and 4th grade classrooms at Title I schools. Includes eight 1-hour classroom visits and one 2-hour museum field trip totaling 10 program hours per classroom. No-cost program covering supplies, transportation, and museum access for qualifying schools.
• MoAD Teens (Summer Teen Program) Five-week paid apprenticeship program for teens combining structured learning with hands-on art career experience. Participants explore careers from visual artist to curator, receive $18.50/hour compensation, and develop final projects showcased at program's end.
• Emerging Artists Program (EAP) Annual program supporting Black artists in the Bay Area through solo exhibitions, $10,000 awards, mentorship, professional development workshops, and institutional support. Celebrating 10 years with 2026-2027 cohort. Hundreds of applicants apply annually, with 4 artists selected per cohort.
• Poets-in-Residence Program Residency program providing writers opportunities to respond to contemporary African Diaspora art and extend museum reach through programming and educational workshops with local high school students.
• Chef-in-Residence Program First-of-its-kind program at a contemporary art museum creating space for people of color to address food justice, climate justice, and social justice through culinary programming.
• Cultural Critic-in-Residence Program Program launched in January 2023 connecting film, scholarship, and visual/pop culture. Inaugural critic Dr. Artel Great examines Black culture and moving images of the 21st century.
• African Book Club Free monthly series celebrating the renaissance of African literature. Highlights female, LGBTQ, and diverse geographic voices including translations from Arabic, French, and Portuguese.
• African Diaspora Film Club Virtual bi-monthly film discussion series moderated by guest film curator Cornelius Moore. Features films related to the African diaspora with filmmaker conversations.
• Artist Talks Moderated conversations with celebrated Black artists about their exhibitions and art practice. Notable guests have included Mickalene Thomas, Lorna Simpson, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, David Huffman, Todd Gray, Firelei Báez, and Sadie Barnette.
• MoAD Mix: A Spirited Discussion on Art & Culture Monthly live Zoom event exploring contemporary Black art through curated playlists, cocktail/mocktail recipes, and audience discussions.
• Diaspora Dinner Annual ticketed culinary event celebrating African diasporic cuisine, wine, culture, and storytelling. Hosted at the St. Regis San Francisco with notable chefs and sommeliers. Ticket prices range from $295 (Early Bird Member) and $325 (Member) to $1,000 (Legacy VIP Experience).
• Nexus: SF/Bay Area Black Art Week Annual week-long celebration of Black art across the Bay Area uniting cultural institutions to showcase Black artists and creativity, featuring exhibitions, programs, and unique engagements.
• Afropolitan Ball Annual gala celebrating cultural diversity and supporting Black Art & Artists. Held at San Francisco Ferry Building, combining glamour, purpose, and cultural pride. The next edition is scheduled for October 3, 2026.
• Thrive @ MoAD Community Day Free community admission day held the second Saturday of each month, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. Part of healthcare-museum partnership promoting mental health and well-being through art engagement.
• MoAD Journal Online publication featuring contemporary perspectives on African Diasporic art. Includes exhibition reviews, artist interviews, and scholarly essays authored by Smithsonian Leadership for Change interns and staff.
• Education Lab Interactive space on the museum's third floor designed for all ages. Offers hands-on activities inspired by exhibits, fostering connections with art and creativity.
• UNBOUND: Art, Blackness & the Universe (Major Traveling Exhibition) Major traveling exhibition exploring intersections of Blackness and the cosmos, curated by Key Jo Lee. Features global intergenerational artists including Lorna Simpson, Rashaad Newsome, and Didier William. On view October 1, 2025 through August 16, 2026 on all three floors. Major institutional and foundation sponsors include CommonSpirit Health, KHR McNeely Family Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Ford Foundation, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
• Liberatory Living: Protective Interiors & Radical Black Joy (Exhibition) Exhibition featuring designs, artworks, and environments dedicated to cultivating domestic interiors as spaces of revolutionary action and radical joy. Curated by Key Jo Lee, featuring sixteen contemporary designers and artists.
• Continuum: MoAD Over Time (Exhibition) Exhibition showcasing MoAD's institutional history and evolution over 20 years. On view October 1, 2025 through March 8, 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• 700+ reciprocal museum access through NARM
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• SFMOMA (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 December 2023Historic joint curatorial position creating a shared role between SFMOMA and MoAD focused on art of the African Diaspora. Cornelia Stokes appointed as inaugural Assistant Curator of the Art of the African Diaspora in 2025. This partnership represents a rare cross-institutional collaboration reshaping how museums work together to amplify African Diaspora art.
• Yerba Buena Community Benefit DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocate-level partner supporting MoAD as part of the Yerba Buena Arts District ecosystem. Local organization supporting arts and community development in the neighborhood.
• Smithsonian InstitutionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoAD is a Smithsonian Affiliate, part of a national outreach program developing partnerships between the Smithsonian and cultural organizations. Provides access to content, resources, expertise, exhibitions, and educational programs. Enables reciprocal benefits for members.
• Yerba Buena Center for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBay Area museum partner for Helina Metaferia's 'What We Carry to Set Ourselves Free' exhibition, utilizing community organizing framework and archival research partnership.
• Bolinas MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional museum partner exhibiting iterations of 'What We Carry to Set Ourselves Free' as part of Bay Area solidarity initiative across institutions.
• Stanford UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing library research resources and exhibiting parallel iteration of 'What We Carry to Set Ourselves Free' exhibition.
• San Francisco Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for archival research into Bay Area protest histories supporting Metaferia exhibition project.
• Association of African American Vintners (AAAV)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Diaspora Dinner featuring wines that celebrate African and diasporic wine culture, challenging Eurocentric wine norms.
• St. Regis San FranciscocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for Diaspora Dinner events and location of MoAD (ground floor of St. Regis tower complex). Strategic hospitality partnership.
• NARM (North American Reciprocal Museum) AssociationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal membership program enabling MoADmirer members to access hundreds of cultural institutions across Bermuda, Canada, El Salvador, Mexico, and the United States.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• The Africa Center: The Africa Center in New York City focuses on contemporary African and African Diaspora art, culture, and policy. As a smaller, emerging institution with a similar thematic focus, it overlaps with MoAD's mission but with a New York-centric audience.

Broad incumbents

• San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA): SFMOMA is San Francisco's flagship contemporary art museum and MoAD's strategic partner in the joint curatorial position. While SFMOMA covers all modern and contemporary art, the joint curatorship creates operational overlap that makes it a structural partner-comparator for MoAD.
• National Museum of African American History and Culture: The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture is the largest and most prominent African American museum in the U.S. As the Smithsonian's flagship, it shares MoAD's mission focus and provides reciprocal benefits to MoAD members through the Smithsonian Affiliate network.

Direct peers

• Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture: The Reginald F. Lewis Museum is a Maryland-based African American history and culture museum with comparable scope, programming, and revenue model (admissions, memberships, event rentals, donations). It is similarly sized and structured, making it a strong operational benchmark.
• California African American Museum: CAAM is a state-level African American art and culture museum in Los Angeles with a similar focus on contemporary Black artists and exhibitions. It is the closest geographic comparable to MoAD and serves overlapping West Coast audiences interested in African Diaspora programming.
• Studio Museum in Harlem: The Studio Museum in Harlem is the leading contemporary art museum focused on artists of African descent, with a renowned Artist-in-Residence program that is structurally similar to MoAD's Emerging Artists Program. It serves as the benchmark African Diaspora-focused art museum in the U.S. and is the most direct comparator for MoAD's mission and operating model.
• Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture: The Schomburg Center is a New York Public Library research center dedicated to preserving Black history and culture through exhibitions, public programs, and educational offerings. Its mission alignment, residency programs, and educational programming make it a comparable cultural institution.
• African American Museum in Philadelphia: AAMP is a Philadelphia-based African American museum focused on art, history, and culture with similar programming scope, including exhibitions, educational programs, and community events. Comparable in scale and operating model to MoAD.
• DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center: DuSable is a Chicago-based African American history museum focused on preserving Black art, history, and culture. As one of the few standalone African Diaspora-focused museums in a major U.S. city, it serves a structurally comparable role to MoAD in a different metropolitan market.

Regional players

• Yerba Buena Center for the Arts: YBCA is a San Francisco contemporary arts institution in the same Yerba Buena Arts District as MoAD, with overlapping programming (e.g., the Helina Metaferia 'What We Carry' exhibition). It competes for some Bay Area audiences and event rentals while serving as a regional collaborator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/moadsf
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCp1OHPtDqLH7lXqH1wPK0lQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/moadsanfrancisco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/museum-of-the-african-diaspora
• Instagraminstagram.com/moadsf

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Museum of the African Diaspora