MOCA | The Museum of Contemporary Art

What MOCA | The Museum of Contemporary Art does

MOCA (The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) art museum founded in 1979 and headquartered at 250 South Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. The institution operates two complementary venues — MOCA Grand Avenue, designed by 2019 Pritzker laureate Arata Isozaki, and The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, a former industrial warehouse redesigned by Frank Gehry in Little Tokyo — plus a partner venue, REDCAT, in the same district. MOCA stewards a permanent collection of nearly 8,000 objects spanning the 1940s to the present, including works by Mondrian, Rothko, and Rauschenberg, and mounts rotating temporary exhibitions such as Haegue Yang, Michael Asher, Pipilotti Rist, and Olafur Eliasson.

The museum runs an event-driven go-to-market built around exhibitions, public programs, educational offerings (Teachers, MOCA Teens, All Ages, Tours), and ticketed events, supported by social media (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok), email newsletters, and earned media. Its revenue mechanics are diversified across five streams: one-time admission ticketing, a tiered annual membership ($200 Contributing, $1,500 Curators Circle and above), event rentals (corporate, private, filming) at both venues, the MOCA Store e-commerce site for catalogues and merchandise, and donations and grants from individuals, corporations, and foundations including the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation endowment, the Frankenthaler Climate Initiative, the Teiger Foundation, the Korea Arts Management Service, and the Manitou Fund. MOCA is governed by a Board of Trustees and advised by a Global Council, Director's Council, and the Environmental Council (the first of its kind at a major US art museum, founded 2020).

Operationally MOCA relies on third-party ticketing infrastructure (Altru and XruLink) rather than proprietary technology platforms. Digital distribution is limited to the MOCA Stream video platform, the moca.org website, and the mocastore.org retail storefront. The institution has no public API, no proprietary AI/ML systems, and no developer-facing platform, reflecting a content-and-venue business model rather than a software or technology model.

Name

MOCA | The Museum of Contemporary Art

Legal name

The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles

Website

https://moca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

MOCA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit contemporary art museum founded in 1979 in Los Angeles, operating MOCA Grand Avenue and The Geffen Contemporary to steward a permanent collection of nearly 8,000 objects, mount temporary exhibitions, run education and public programs, and serve visitors, members, donors, and event-rental clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contemporary Art Museum

NAICS

Museums (712110)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Museums (THAJADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

Keywords

• Contemporary art museum
• Art education programs
• Event venue rentals
• Museum exhibition curation
• Nonprofit museum services

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: Museum admission fees for visitors to view exhibitions at MOCA Grand Avenue and The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA
2. Membership Program: Tiered membership program offering various benefits including free admission, exclusive events, and discounts at the MOCA Store. Tiers include Contributing ($200), Curators Circle ($1,500) and above
3. Event Rentals: Corporate events, private events, and filming opportunities at MOCA Grand Avenue and The Geffen Contemporary venues
4. MOCA Store: Online retail store selling exhibition catalogues, merchandise, and featured products
5. Donations and Grants: Charitable contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations supporting exhibitions, education, and environmental initiatives

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MOCA (The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles) is a nonprofit contemporary art museum that collects, preserves, and exhibits post-1940s art across two downtown Los Angeles venues—MOCA Grand Avenue and The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. It sells admission to exhibitions, annual memberships, event rentals, educational programs, and exhibition-related merchandise through its online MOCA Store.

Product overview

MOCA (The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles) operates as a nonprofit museum with two physical venues: MOCA Grand Avenue (designed by Arata Isozaki) and The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA (designed by Frank Gehry). The museum offers educational programs for teachers, teens, and all ages, as well as guided tours. MOCA's digital presence includes the Stream video platform for artist films and programming content, and the MOCA Store for retail merchandise. The museum also provides event rental services for corporate and private events at both locations. MOCA's Environmental Council, founded in 2020, leads sustainability initiatives including annual environmental impact reports. The museum presents rotating exhibitions featuring contemporary artists, with the MOCA Artist Film Series being a dedicated moving-image programming platform presented by The Edward F. Limato Foundation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MOCA Store Online retail store (mocastore.org) operated by MOCA selling exhibition catalogues, featured products, and store merchandise to museum visitors and online shoppers.
• Event Rentals Corporate events, private events, and filming opportunities at MOCA Grand Avenue and The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA venues, including the 13,795 sq ft WAREHOUSE space that accommodates up to 800 guests.
• Museum Membership Annual museum membership program with tiered benefits including free admission and exclusive events; pricing starts at Contributing level ($200) and rises through Curators Circle ($1,500) and Leadership Circle levels.
• Education Programs Educational offerings for teachers, teens (MOCA Teens), all ages, and tours, designed to engage students, educators, and the general public with contemporary art.
• Haegue Yang: Star-Crossed Rendezvous A 2026 major exhibition of large-scale installations by Haegue Yang, presented to museum visitors and general audiences with companion programming such as a Star-Crossed Rendezvous symposium and LA Phil collaboration.
• Good on Paper: Works from the Gene J. and Betye M. Burton Acquisitions Endowment 2026 exhibition of works on paper drawn from the Burton Acquisitions Endowment, presented to museum visitors interested in postwar and contemporary drawings and prints.
• Michael Asher 2026 focused survey of twenty works by Michael Asher, co-organized with Artists Space, New York, presenting the artist's practice to museum visitors.
• Gifts of Michael Asher 2026 exhibition presenting thirty-five works donated from Michael Asher's personal collection to MOCA, showcasing the artist's holdings to museum visitors.
• Olafur Eliasson: OPEN 2024 Olafur Eliasson exhibition presented as part of Getty's PST ART: Art & Science Collide, integrating environmental-responsibility practices.
• Pipilotti Rist: Big Heartedness, Be My Neighbor 2021 West Coast survey of Swiss media artist Pipilotti Rist, made carbon neutral through recycled materials, ocean shipping, and carbon auditing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Collection of nearly 8,000 objects
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026MOCA and LA Phil partnered to present Haegue Yang's multi-sensorial installation 'Star-Crossed Rendezvous after Yun' at MOCA and a concert of Isang Yun's 'Double Concerto' at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The collaboration bridges two distinguished cultural organizations and their unique architectural sites through an immersive sonic and visual experience.
• Edward F. Limato FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023The Edward F. Limato Foundation presents the MOCA Artist Film Series, a platform for the presentation of artist films featuring works by Carolyn Lazard, Danielle Dean, Aimee Goguen, and Tiffany Sia.
• Artists SpacemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe exhibition 'Michael Asher' is co-organized by Artists Space, New York and MOCA. Organized by curators Jay Sanders and Stella Cilman at Artists Space, with Los Angeles presentation by José Luis Blondet, Senior Curator, and Emilia Nicholson-Fajarda at MOCA.
• MOCA Environmental Council FounderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding Council members include Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Aileen Getty, Agnes Gund, Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and Brian Sheth. Expert advisors include Illina Frankiv, Dan Hammer, Lisa P. Jackson, Lucas Joppa, Jen Morris, Calla Rose Ostrander, and Enrique Ortiz.
• Art into AcresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit founded by Haley Mellin that helps artists and institutions support conservation of large-scale landscapes. Co-founder of MOCA Environmental Council.
• Art + Climate ActionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalifornia-based collective uniting nonprofit art spaces, commercial endeavors, art workers, patrons, and artist studios in environmental justice initiatives.
• Artists CommitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist-led collective that co-published Climate Impact Report for Pipilotti Rist exhibition with MOCA Environmental Council.
• Galleries CommitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of galleries working on sustainable practices and carbon emissions reduction in the art world.
• Art to ZerominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative focused on zero-waste practices in the art world, aligned with Paris Agreement targets.
• Otis College of Art and DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOtis College of Art and Design has hosted annual Donghia Designer-in-Residence and George H. Scanlon Foundation lectures at MOCA Grand Avenue since 2009.
• Korea Arts Management Service (KAMS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in supporting Korean artist Haegue Yang's exhibition at MOCA with lead support from the MOCA Global Council and Ministry of Culture.
• Sam Francis FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with MOCA to support artist participation in public programs.
• The Colburn SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusicians from The Colburn School performed Isang Yun compositions during the Star-Crossed Rendezvous symposium at MOCA.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA): The largest art museum in the western United States, encyclopedic in scope with contemporary as one of many departments. Comparable because it competes with MOCA for LA visitors and donors, but its broader mission makes it an incumbent rather than a direct contemporary-art competitor.
• Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum: New York's iconic modern and contemporary art museum designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Comparable as a major modern/contemporary art museum with iconic destination architecture and large permanent collection, but broader in historical scope than MOCA.
• Getty Center: Free-admission LA art complex housing European paintings, sculpture, drawings, and photography. Comparable as a major LA cultural destination competing for tourist visits and donor dollars, though broader in collection than MOCA.

Direct peers

• San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA): San Francisco's leading modern and contemporary art museum with a major permanent collection and rotation of temporary exhibitions. Comparable in scale, West Coast positioning, and diversified revenue across admissions, membership, retail, and event rentals.
• Whitney Museum of American Art: New York museum dedicated to 20th- and 21st-century American art, with a focused collection and active exhibition program. Directly comparable in mission (contemporary art focus), nonprofit operating model, and reliance on membership/donor revenue.
• Institute of Contemporary Art Boston: Boston museum dedicated to contemporary art with a single-discipline focus similar to MOCA. Directly comparable in curatorial mission (contemporary only), education programming, and nonprofit operating model.
• The Broad: Contemporary art museum in downtown Los Angeles founded in 2015, holding major works by postwar and contemporary artists. Directly comparable because it competes with MOCA for the same LA contemporary-art audience, tourists, and major donors within the same city.
• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): New York's flagship modern and contemporary art museum, with a permanent collection spanning the late 19th century to today. Comparable in collection depth, contemporary art programming, education offerings, and tiered-membership revenue model.
• Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago: Chicago's contemporary art museum founded in 1967, with a focused mission on art produced since 1945. Closely comparable as a single-discipline contemporary art museum with a permanent collection, exhibition programming, and educational mission similar to MOCA's.

Regional players

• Tate Modern: London's flagship contemporary and modern art museum and one of the world's most-visited contemporary art institutions. Comparable in curatorial mission and collection scale, but operating in a different geography than MOCA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MOCATV
• Facebookfacebook.com/MOCAlosangeles
• Instagraminstagram.com/moca
• TikToktiktok.com/@moca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about MOCA | The Museum of Contemporary Art