The Chain Museum
The Chain Museum operates ArtSticker, a digital art marketplace and event platform with 300,000+ users and 3,500+ artists, four owned Tokyo galleries with dining/bakery concepts, and an enterprise art coordination/consulting business serving major Japanese real estate developers, hotels, and commercial facilities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The Chain Museum does
The Chain Museum (株式会社The Chain Museum) is a Tokyo-based, privately-held art platform company founded in November 2018 by Masamichi Toyama (founder of Smiles) and Naoki Ito (co-founder of creative agency PARTY). The company operates three integrated business divisions: (1) ArtSticker, a digital art communication platform available on iOS, Android, and Web, providing online ticketing, audio guides, digital stamp rallies, artist timeline features, and an artwork marketplace, supporting 3,500+ artists, 300,000+ users, and 3,000+ events; (2) a Gallery business operating four owned physical gallery spaces in Tokyo (GALLERY ROOM A in Asakusabashi, Art Canteen Paichu in Roppongi, Gallery & Restaurant Butaiura in Azabudai Hills, Gallery & Bakery Tokyo 8-bun in Kyobashi), several integrating dining or bakery operations; and (3) a Coordination (consulting) business providing art curation, space design, and subscription art rental for offices, hotels, commercial facilities, and residences.
The Chain Museum's enterprise customer base is dominated by major Japanese real estate developers and conglomerates — Mitsui Fudosan, Mitsubishi Estate, Tokyu Properties, Nomura Real Estate, Sekisui House, Tokyo Tatemono, Nippon Steel Kowa Real Estate, Hankyu Hanshin Real Estate, NTT Urban Development, J. Front Retailing, Sumitomo Corporation, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking — alongside hospitality and retail logos (Daimaru Matsuzakiya, Starbucks Coffee Japan, Arflex Japan, JLL Japan, TOPPAN). Revenue streams are transaction- and project-based: commissions on artwork sales and ticketing fees on ArtSticker; ticket sales and dining F&B at gallery venues; and professional-services/project fees for enterprise coordination and consulting.
The company is privately held with registered capital of ¥914.2M as of February 2026, funded across multiple equity rounds (Smiles and PARTY joint venture in 2018; Toppan, Sumitomo, KDDI, TBS, J. Front Retailing, JAFCO, Toda Corporation, Goldwin Play Earth Fund, Resona Capital, Daibiru, NANKAI NEXT Ventures, Nomura Real Estate) and 2026 debt facilities from Resona Bank, Hokuriku Bank, and Yamanashi Chuo Bank. Masamichi Toyama serves as Representative Director and CEO; Naoki Ito as CCO. Geographic focus remains primarily Japan, with international partnerships (Art Jakarta 2025, ArtReview, Tokyo Gendai) supporting nascent Southeast Asia and global ambition. Reported headcount is 1-10, though a deep management roster spans curatorial, gallery relations, coordination, engineering, and overseas operations functions.
The Chain Museum firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Chain Museum
- Legal name
- 株式会社The Chain Museum
- Website
- https://t-c-m.art
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Chain Museum operates ArtSticker, a digital art marketplace and event platform with 300,000+ users and 3,500+ artists, four owned Tokyo galleries with dining/bakery concepts, and an enterprise art coordination/consulting business serving major Japanese real estate developers, hotels, and commercial facilities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Chain Museum industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Art Marketplace
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Art Dealers (459920), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)
- SIC
- Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Art Museums (THAJADAA), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Exhibitions, Trade Shows & Booth Management (HSACADAH), Trade Show & Exhibition Marketing (Booth Design/Build) (MPAAAGAC)
Keywords
Where The Chain Museum is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices5 records
Markets served
The Chain Museum business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- ArtSticker Platform Fees: Commission from artwork sales, ticketing fees, and service charges on the ArtSticker digital platform connecting artists with art enthusiasts
- Gallery Operations: Revenue from operating physical gallery spaces including ticket sales for exhibitions, artwork sales commissions, and food/beverage at dining-integrated venues
- Art Coordination Services: Art consulting, curation, and space design services for commercial facilities, hotels, offices, and residences. Includes commission-based artwork sales and project-based fees
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Art rental subscription for offices |
| Hybrid | Multi-year contract | Custom art coordination projects |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
The Chain Museum product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Chain Museum operates three integrated business lines: ArtSticker, a digital art communication platform providing online ticketing, audio guides, digital stamp rallies, and an artwork marketplace connecting 3,500+ artists with 300,000+ users; a Gallery business operating four physical exhibition spaces in Tokyo (GALLERY ROOM・A in Asakusa, Paichu in Roppongi, Butaiura in Azabudai Hills, and 8-bun in Kyobashi) integrated with dining venues; and a Coordination business providing art consulting, curation, and subscription-based art rental for commercial facilities, hotels, offices, and residences.
Product overview
The Chain Museum operates a multi-faceted art business comprising three core divisions: (1) ArtSticker, a digital art communication platform offering online ticketing, audio guides, digital stamp rallies, and artwork sales marketplace with over 3,500 artists and 300,000+ users; (2) Gallery business operating 4 physical gallery spaces in Tokyo (Gallery & Restaurant 舞台裏 in Azabudai Hills, Gallery & Bakery Tokyo ８分 in Kyobashi, アートかビーフンか白厨 in Roppongi, and GALLERY ROOM・A in Asakusa) plus an Artist in Residence program; and (3) Coordination business providing art consulting, curation, and art rental services for commercial facilities, hotels, offices, and residences. The digital platform and physical galleries are integrated, with ArtSticker serving as the unified system for ticketing, audio guides, and art sales across all venues.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GALLERY ROOM・A: Gallery space in Asakusa featuring exhibitions of selected artists, with attached art hotel and cafe.
- アートかビーフンか白厨 (Paichu)
- Gallery & Restaurant 舞台裏
- Gallery & Bakery Tokyo ８分
Products and services
- ArtSticker A digital art communication platform connecting artists and audiences, providing online ticketing, audio guides, digital stamp rallies, and an art sales marketplace. Features over 300,000 art enthusiasts and 3,500+ artists. Available via iOS, Android, and Web.
- Gallery & Restaurant 舞台裏 (Butaiura) Art gallery with dining at Azabudai Hills, featuring works from established artists, emerging talents, and performing arts. Includes restaurant serving courses and light meals.
- Gallery & Bakery Tokyo 8分 (8-bun)
Quantifiable outcome
- 300,000+ art enthusiasts on platform
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Chain Museum
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Chain Museum technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The Chain Museum partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Tokyo GendaicoreOfficial Supporting Partner for the international art fair. Multiple collaborations including Hana Artist Award sponsorship, ticketing services, gallery exhibitions, and coordination projects. Five distinct partnership initiatives across ArtSticker, Gallery, and Coordination business units.
- Art Jakarta 2025coreMain partner for Southeast Asia's leading contemporary art fair. Bridge between Japanese and Southeast Asian artists, galleries, collectors, and art lovers.
- ArtReviewcoreInternational art media partnership with London's ArtReview magazine. Interview with CEO Masamichi Toyama published to promote Japanese and Asian art scene globally. Japanese translation also available on ArtSticker.
- TARO NASU GalleryminorGallery collaboration for Lawrence Weiner exhibition at NEWoMan YOKOHAMA as part of Tokyo Gendai partnership.
- THE CITY BAKERY / Fonce Inc.coreCo-development partner for Gallery & Bakery Tokyo ８分, combining art gallery with bakery and cafe at TODA BUILDING in Kyobashi.
- PARCO (Fukuoka)minorPARCO Wall Gallery FUKUOKA collaboration for art curation, exhibition, and ArtSticker sales integration.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Chain Museum competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Chain Museum social profiles
Digital presenceThe Chain Museum financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Chain Museum leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
The Chain Museum funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors15 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Chain Museum 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 The Chain Museum
What does The Chain Museum do?
The Chain Museum operates three integrated business lines: ArtSticker, a digital art communication platform providing online ticketing, audio guides, digital stamp rallies, and an artwork marketplace connecting 3,500+ artists with 300,000+ users; a Gallery business operating four physical exhibition spaces in Tokyo (GALLERY ROOM・A in Asakusa, Paichu in Roppongi, Butaiura in Azabudai Hills, and 8-bun in Kyobashi) integrated with dining venues; and a Coordination business providing art consulting, curation, and subscription-based art rental for commercial facilities, hotels, offices, and residences.
Is The Chain Museum a public or private company?
The Chain Museum is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was The Chain Museum founded?
The Chain Museum was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Chain Museum based?
The Chain Museum is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does The Chain Museum make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. ArtSticker Platform Fees are the primary driver. The others are gallery Operations and art Coordination Services.
Does The Chain Museum have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Chain Museum.
What industry is The Chain Museum in?
The Chain Museum's product category is Online Art Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAH, Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit), with a secondary code of THAJADAA, Art Museums. Its NAICS code is 7121 and its SIC code is 7330.