The Municipal Art Society of New York

What The Municipal Art Society of New York does

The Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS NYC) is a New York-based non-profit civic advocacy organization founded in 1893, focused on urban planning, historic preservation, and public policy for New York City. It serves the general public of New York City, including urban enthusiasts, through advocacy initiatives, educational programming, and membership engagement. Its work is structured around three pillars — planning, policy, and preservation — operationalized through named initiatives including Advocacy in Action (2020–present, focused on equity, public realm access, racial justice, and resiliency), Greener Corridors for a More Resilient City (2024–present, focused on reimagining major NYC streets), and Data Distillery (2024–present, focused on translating data into actionable urban planning insights).

Its core products and services comprise advocacy initiatives, a docent-led walking tour program covering NYC landmarks (e.g., Grand Central Terminal, South Williamsburg, Lower Manhattan, Fifth Avenue Modern), the annual Jane's Walk NYC event series, a tiered membership program (general membership, RMH Patron Program, corporate membership, and planned giving), the Greenacre Reference Library as a research resource, and the Menapace Fellowship for emerging urban planning professionals. There are no proprietary technology platforms, mobile applications, or APIs; the organization operates as a community- and event-driven civic entity.

Its business model is a non-profit, multi-stream funding structure: annual membership fees and individual donations form the recurring base, supplemented by transactional revenue from walking tours ($15–$35 per ticket with member discounts), corporate membership sponsorships, and legacy planned giving. Distribution is conducted entirely within the United States through in-person tours, membership programs, corporate memberships, and direct advocacy (testimony, position statements, public engagement campaigns). Marketing and engagement run through mas.org, a monthly email newsletter, action alerts, and community events.

Name

The Municipal Art Society of New York

Legal name

The Municipal Art Society of New York

Website

https://MAS.ORG

Company type

Private

Founded year

1896

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Municipal Art Society of New York is a 130-year-old NYC-based civic non-profit advocating on urban planning, preservation, and policy. It serves New Yorkers through advocacy initiatives, docent-led walking tours, membership programs, and research resources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic Advocacy and Urban Planning Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

akta.pro primary industry

Smart Cities & Urban Innovation Programs (Digital Planning, Civic Tech for Cities) (BPAIANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Cities, Urban Development & Green Infrastructure (BPADALAL), Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI), Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

Keywords

• Urban planning advocacy
• Historic preservation
• Civic engagement
• Walking tours
• Policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Programs: General membership fees providing access to tours, events, and advocacy updates
2. Donations: Individual donations supporting policy advocacy efforts on behalf of New York City
3. Tour Fees: Revenue from guided walking tours and architectural tours of New York City landmarks
4. Corporate Membership: Corporate sponsorships and memberships supporting urban advocacy initiatives
5. Planned Giving: Legacy/planned giving programs for long-term donor support

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Municipal Art Society of New York is a nonprofit civic advocacy organization that advances New York City's livability through urban planning, preservation, and policy campaigns. It monetizes this mission primarily through an annual membership program, docent-led paid walking tours, donations, corporate sponsorships, and planned giving, supported by educational events such as Jane's Walk NYC and resources like the Greenacre Reference Library.

Product overview

The Municipal Art Society of New York operates as a civic advocacy organization offering a portfolio of urban planning initiatives, educational programs, and membership services. The core offerings include advocacy initiatives in planning, policy, and preservation (Greener Corridors, Advocacy in Action, Data Distillery), a tours program featuring guided walks of NYC landmarks, annual events like Jane's Walk NYC, membership programs, research resources through the Greenacre Reference Library, and the Menapace Fellowship for emerging professionals. These services work together to advance MAS's mission of improving New York City through urban planning advocacy and public engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tours Program Paid, in-person, docent-led guided walking tours of New York City neighborhoods and architectural landmarks (e.g., South Williamsburg, Grand Central Terminal, Lower Manhattan, Fifth Avenue Modern), priced per tour at Member $25 / Non-member $35 for walking tours and Member $15 / Non-member $25 for Grand Central Terminal tours.
• Membership Programs Annual membership tiers providing supporters with discounted tour pricing, advocacy updates, action alerts, and member-exclusive content; includes General Membership for individuals, an RMH Patron Program, Corporate Membership for businesses, and Planned Giving legacy options.
• Jane's Walk NYC Annual citywide walking tour event series held across New York City neighborhoods, offering ticketed neighborhood exploration events as part of the global Jane's Walk movement.
• Advocacy Initiatives Core advocacy work covering planning, policy, and preservation that influences NYC urban development, including campaigns for equity, public realm access, racial justice, resiliency, and sustainable street design.
• Greener Corridors for a More Resilient City Planning advocacy initiative reimagine NYC's major streets with safety and sustainability in mind, active from 2024 onward.
• Advocacy in Action Policy advocacy initiative collaborating on citywide solutions for equity, public realm access, racial justice, and resiliency, active from 2020 onward.
• Data Distillery Planning/policy/preservation initiative that translates urban data into actionable insights to support MAS's advocacy and policy work across New York City.
• Greenacre Reference Library On-site reference library providing research resources and information on urban planning and architecture for members, researchers, and the public.
• Menapace Fellowship Fellowship program supporting emerging professionals working in urban planning and architecture.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Regional Plan Association: Long-standing NYC-area nonprofit conducting research and advocacy on urban planning, transportation, and regional growth. Highly comparable as a mission-aligned civic planning and policy organization with similar donor-supported model.
• Open Plans (formerly Transportation Alternatives): NYC-based civic advocacy nonprofit focused on street design, public space, and livable streets — directly comparable to MAS's Greener Corridors initiative and urban planning advocacy scope.
• Project for Public Spaces: Nonprofit focused on placemaking, public realm improvement, and community-based urban planning. Comparable to MAS's Advocacy in Action and public space initiatives.
• New York Landmarks Conservancy: NYC nonprofit specializing in historic preservation advocacy, restoration grants, and landmarks education. Directly comparable to MAS's preservation pillar and tour/education programming.
• Architectural League of New York: NYC-based nonprofit advancing architectural discourse through lectures, exhibitions, and urban design advocacy. Comparable mission, programming model (lectures/tours), and donor base to MAS.
• Citizens Budget Commission: Nonpartisan NYC civic policy organization producing fiscal and policy analysis on city government — comparable as a research-driven advocacy nonprofit engaging with NYC government on planning and budget matters.
• Center for Architecture Foundation: NYC nonprofit providing architecture education, tours, exhibitions, and public programming. Directly comparable to MAS's architectural tours, public programming, and civic education offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Urban Land Institute: Large global nonprofit conducting research and education on land use, real estate, and urban development. Comparable mission and B2B/corporate membership model to MAS, but operates at national/international scale.
• American Planning Association: National professional association for urban planners offering advocacy, education, and publications. Comparable to MAS as a planning-focused advocacy and education organization, though national in scope.

Emerging players

• 100 Resilient Cities (closed) / Resilient Cities Network: Global network of cities focused on urban resilience, sustainability, and climate adaptation. Comparable to MAS's Greener Corridors and resilience-themed initiatives, with broader geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/masnyc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 The Municipal Art Society of New York