New Orleans Museum of Art

What New Orleans Museum of Art does

The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) is a nonprofit art museum founded in 1911 as the Isaac Delgado Museum of Art and headquartered in New Orleans City Park. It operates a permanent collection of more than 35,000 works spanning European, American, Asian, African, pre-Columbian, Native American, and Oceanic art, with more than 8,500 works in its photography collection. The museum's facilities span three floors of gallery space and the adjacent 12-acre Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, which displays 100 works of art in a free, publicly accessible Louisiana landscape. The institution is led by The Montine McDaniel Freeman Director Susan M. Taylor (sixth director, since September 2010) and supported by a six-person C-suite and a Board of Trustees.

NOMA serves a broad audience including general visitors, Louisiana residents (offered free Wednesday admission through the Art for All initiative with The Helis Foundation), members, families, seniors through the Art Thrives creative aging program, teens through a Teen Advisory Board and Creative Assembly residency, educators and students, and corporate partners. Its product portfolio includes general admission and special exhibitions, the free sculpture garden, educational programs, the NOMA Museum Shop (physical and online at shop.noma.org), custom prints from the permanent collection (customprints.noma.org), Café NOMA operated by Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, private event rentals, and an annual membership program. The Besthoff Sculpture Garden celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024, and a rotating schedule of major exhibitions (Wangechi Mutu, Afropolitan, Sand Ash Heat, Dawoud Bey, Hayward Oubre retrospective) anchors its curatorial programming.

Revenue is generated through six streams: admission fees, annual memberships, museum shop retail sales, café foodservice, private event rentals, and donations and fundraising (including the annual Odyssey Ball/Visionaries Gala). Corporate and institutional philanthropy is anchored by partners including The Helis Foundation, First Horizon, LCMC Health, Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, and the Monacelli publisher. The museum distributes content and drives visitation through Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, email newsletters, the NOMA Stories blog, press coverage, on-site events, and was nominated for two USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards in 2024.

Name

New Orleans Museum of Art

Legal name

New Orleans Museum of Art

Website

https://noma.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1911

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) is a nonprofit art museum founded in 1911 that operates a permanent collection of over 35,000 works, a free 12-acre sculpture garden, educational programs, retail and café operations, and event rentals, serving Louisiana residents, visitors, members, families, seniors, teens, educators, and corporate partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art Museum / Cultural Institution

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (71211)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Museums (THAJADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cultural Heritage, Arts & Archaeology Service Programs (EDAIAGAH)

Keywords

• Art museum services
• Fine art exhibitions
• Cultural education programs
• Museum membership programs
• Public sculpture gardens

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Admission Fees: General admission fees with free admission for Louisiana residents every Wednesday courtesy of The Helis Foundation. Pricing adjusted in 2024 for out-of-state visitors.
2. Membership Program: Annual membership providing unlimited museum admission, reduced program/event pricing, shop discounts, and exclusive member events.
3. Museum Shop Sales: Retail sales of artful books, gifts, jewelry, exhibition catalogs, art-inspired merchandise, and custom print reproductions from the permanent collection.
4. Café NOMA: Food and beverage service operated by Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, featuring pastries, coffee, lunch, cocktails, and small plates. Happy hour offered Wednesdays 3-6pm.
5. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate giving, fundraisers including the annual Odyssey Ball, and planned giving programs.
6. Private Event Rentals: Venue rentals for private events including corporate functions, weddings, and special occasions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) operates a fine arts museum in City Park, New Orleans, presenting a permanent collection of more than 35,000 works spanning ancient to contemporary art across three floors of galleries, alongside a free 12-acre outdoor sculpture garden with 100 works. NOMA sells paid general admission, runs an annual membership program, operates an on-site museum shop (physical and online) and Café NOMA, and offers private event rentals, residency programs, and educational programming for children, teens, seniors, and educators.

Product overview

The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) operates as a traditional fine arts museum offering a unified portfolio of visitor experiences, retail operations, and educational programming. The core offering includes general museum admission with free admission for Louisiana residents on Wednesdays, access to the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, rotating exhibitions, and the permanent collection spanning three floors. Related offerings include the NOMA Museum Shop (both physical and online at shop.noma.org) selling art-inspired merchandise, custom print reproductions (customprints.noma.org), Café NOMA by Ralph Brennan serving food and beverages adjacent to the collection, and membership programs providing unlimited admission and discounts. Educational initiatives include Creative Assembly residency, Art Thrives for adults 55+, programs for kids and teens, and educator resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Museum General Admission Paid general admission to NOMA's permanent collection and rotating exhibitions spanning three floors of galleries. Free for Louisiana residents every Wednesday courtesy of The Helis Foundation's Art for All initiative; pricing for out-of-state visitors was adjusted in 2024.
• Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Free 12-acre outdoor sculpture garden featuring 100 works of art set in a Louisiana landscape. Open to the public seven days a week with no ticket required.
• NOMA Membership Annual membership program providing unlimited museum admission, reduced ticket prices for programs and events, discounts at the NOMA Museum Shop, and invitations to member-exclusive programs. Gift memberships are also available for purchase.
• NOMA Museum Shop Retail store offering a rotating selection of art-inspired books, gifts, jewelry, exhibition catalogs, special collaborations with local artists, and creative activities. Operates on-site at the museum and online at shop.noma.org.
• Custom Prints from NOMA Museum Shop Authorized, made-to-order print reproductions of works from NOMA's permanent collection, available online at customprints.noma.org.
• Café NOMA by Ralph Brennan On-site restaurant and café operated by Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group. Serves pastries, coffee, lunch, cocktails, and small plates. Open Tuesday–Sunday and Wednesdays with extended hours and happy hour.
• Creative Assembly Residency Program Multidisciplinary residency program for New Orleans-based creators including musicians, dancers, poets, mixologists, activists, and educators who immerse themselves in the museum's collection and engage with the community.
• Art Thrives Creative aging initiative for adults ages 55 and older, featuring eight-week courses led by local multimedia artists. Examples include collage workshops and other hands-on sessions.
• Programs for Kids, Families, and Teens Age-specific educational programming for families, children, and teenagers, including art-making activities, the Teen Advisory Board, and teen-specific cultural programming.
• Private Event Rentals Rental of museum spaces (including the Great Hall and the Besthoff Sculpture Garden) for private events such as corporate functions, weddings, and special occasions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 35,000 works of art in permanent collection
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• LCMC HealthminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2024Partnership in support of NOMA's Art Thrives creative aging initiative for adults 55 and older. Grant funding to support the museum's creative aging programs.
• First HorizonminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 April 2024Presenting sponsor of the Visionaries Gala and Garden Party marking twenty years of the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden.
• MonacelliminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 April 2024Publisher partnership to produce a book focusing on the history of the 12-acre Besthoff Sculpture Garden and its 2019 expansion.
• The Helis FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 January 2024Art for All initiative providing free admission for Louisiana residents every Wednesday at NOMA. The Helis Foundation sponsors free admission to expand cultural access.
• Ralph Brennan Restaurant GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates Café NOMA within the museum, providing food and beverage service including pastries, coffee, lunch, cocktails, and happy hour specials.
• BonfolkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProduct collaboration creating sock designs inspired by NOMA's iconic griffin, available exclusively at the NOMA Museum Shop and bonfolk.com.
• The NOLA ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheatrical partnership presenting Shakespeare performances in the Besthoff Sculpture Garden and other theatrical productions in the museum.
• Virginia Museum of Fine ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizing partner for the Dawoud Bey: Elegy exhibition, a comprehensive survey of three photographic series and two film installations.
• Octavia BooksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for monthly suggested reading lists for all ages, with direct links for ordering books from the independent bookstore.
• Contemporary Arts Center (CAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative exhibitions including Edward Burtynsky: Water presented jointly at NOMA and CAC.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• High Museum of Art: Larger Southeastern art museum with deeper corporate sponsorship base and broader programming; competes with NOMA for touring exhibitions and major donor attention across the region, though at a meaningfully larger scale.
• Dallas Museum of Art: Major encyclopedic art museum in Texas with free general admission model and large collection; serves as an aspirational operational peer for NOMA's accessibility and earned-revenue approach.

Direct peers

• Memphis Brooks Museum of Art: Mid-sized Southern art museum with a comparable encyclopedic collection and similar mix of permanent collection, temporary exhibitions, and educational programming; serves as a direct benchmark for NOMA's scale and operational model.
• Ogden Museum of Southern Art: New Orleans-based art museum focused on Southern art; shares the same regional audience, donor pool, and cultural tourism market as NOMA, making it the closest geographic peer and a direct competitor for visitor mindshare and corporate sponsorships.
• Speed Art Museum: Kentucky's oldest and largest art museum, with a comparable encyclopedic collection and regional civic role; similar size, scope, and educational programming make it a strong operational benchmark for NOMA.
• Virginia Museum of Fine Arts: State-supported art museum that co-organized the Dawoud Bey: Elegy exhibition with NOMA; shares similar encyclopedic collection scope and a comparable mix of permanent and touring exhibitions.
• Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans: Local New Orleans peer that has co-presented exhibitions with NOMA (e.g., Edward Burtynsky: Water); operates in the same visitor and donor market but with a contemporary focus rather than encyclopedic art.
• Cincinnati Art Museum: Mid-large encyclopedic art museum with free general admission, broad collection, and substantial educational programming; structurally similar to NOMA in offerings and operational model, providing a strong peer benchmark.
• Phoenix Art Museum: Mid-size Southwestern art museum with comparable collection size, exhibition programming, and educational outreach; structurally similar to NOMA in scale and operating model.

Regional players

• National WWII Museum: Major New Orleans cultural institution that competes for tourist visit share, corporate sponsorships, and event rentals in the same local market, even though it operates in a different content category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NewOrleansMuseumArt/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/NOMA1910
• Instagraminstagram.com/neworleansmuseumofart
• Xx.com/noma1910

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 New Orleans Museum of Art