California Indian Museum and Cultural Center

What California Indian Museum and Cultural Center does

The California Indian Museum and Cultural Center (CIMCC) is a 501(c)(3) Native-led nonprofit organization founded in 1991 and incorporated in 1996, headquartered in a 24,000-square-foot facility in Santa Rosa, California, on the homelands of six Tribes. The organization serves California Indian communities and the broader public across Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties through museum exhibits, K-12 educational curricula, Pomo language preservation, food sovereignty initiatives, youth development, tobacco prevention, and tribal health workforce training.

CIMCC's core offerings span museum operations (the Ishi Exhibit, Precious Cargo, Indigenous Foods of California, and Edward S. Curtis and Dugan Aguilar photography collections), an Education Center with culturally grounded curricula (Math Interwoven, Healthy Ecosystems, Seven Essential Understandings, and the 6 P's), language preservation assets including a Moodle-based Bahtssal Eastern Pomo online course and iOS mobile apps for five Pomo dialects, and specialized programs including NAMSI professional development, Tribal Youth Ambassadors, Cultural Pathways, Healing Through Cultural Arts, and the Climate-Ready TCHR training program delivered with Santa Rosa Junior College. Technology infrastructure consists of Moodle LMS, Mukurtu CMS for community-controlled cultural content, GIS educational tools, YouTube-hosted curriculum videos, and a custom online booking system.

The revenue model is multi-stream and characteristic of a mid-sized cultural nonprofit. Earned revenue from per-visitor admission ($5-7), per-student program fees ($12-15 for STEM Maker and Hands-On Kit programs), and museum store sales is supplemented by individual donations through one-time, monthly, and legacy planned giving channels (The Myers Circle), foundation and government grants from IMLS, NEH, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Henry Luce Foundation, California Department of Health Care Services, and Indigenous-focused capital funds including Decolonizing Wealth Fund and Liberated Capital. In 2025 the organization engaged approximately 1,900 Native youth and community members, reached 300+ educators and districts, and partnered with 85+ schools and tribal organizations.

Name

California Indian Museum and Cultural Center

Legal name

California Indian Museum and Cultural Center

Website

https://cimcc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CIMCC is a Native-led nonprofit in Santa Rosa, California operating a museum, developing culturally grounded K-12 curricula, preserving Pomo languages, and running youth, food sovereignty, and tribal health workforce programs for Native communities across Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural and educational museum services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Indigenous & Community Cultural Institutions (THAJADAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Cultural museum programs
• Native American education
• Indigenous language preservation
• Culturally sustaining curriculum
• Tribal community services

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Rosa

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission: Direct admission fees charged to visitors: $7 adults, $5 children (4-12), $5 seniors, free for children 3 and under. Also participates in Museums For All program providing free admission to EBT cardholders.
2. Donations and Contributions: One-time and monthly donations from individuals; planned giving through estate gifts via The Myers Circle legacy program; DAF donations; IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions; appreciated stock donations
3. Grant Funding: Foundation and government grants supporting specific programs including Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Endowment for Humanities, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Henry Luce Foundation, California Department of Health Care Services, and others
4. Museum Store: Physical and online museum store offering Native arts and crafts, supporting Native artists and youth training through the Native Youth Employment Training Program
5. Educational Programs: Fees for field trips, outreach programs, and Native STEM Maker programs: $12 per student for STEM maker programs, $15 per student for Hands-On Kit presentations, additional fees for add-on activities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The California Indian Museum and Cultural Center operates a museum, education center, and resilience hub that delivers culturally grounded exhibits, K-12 curricula, STEM maker programs, Pomo language courses and mobile apps, food sovereignty research, youth leadership programs, and professional development institutes for tribal museum professionals. Its core paid and free offerings serve the general public, K-12 schools, Native youth and families, tribal governments and health organizations, and museum professionals across California.

Product overview

The California Indian Museum and Cultural Center (CIMCC) operates as a dynamic museum and cultural center offering a diverse portfolio of interconnected programs rather than a single product. The core offerings include museum exhibits (Ishi Exhibit, Precious Cargo, Indigenous Foods of California, photography collections), the Education Center with curricula (Healthy Ecosystems, Seven Essential Understandings, Math Interwoven, 6 P's), and the Native STEM Maker Program. Supporting programs include Language Resources (Pomo Language Course, iOS language apps, dictionary), Food Sovereignty initiatives (Acorn Foodways Research, Traditional Food Incubator, Acorn Energy Bites), and Youth Programs (Tribal Youth Ambassadors, Cultural Pathways, Healing Through Cultural Arts). The Resilience Center provides the umbrella for climate resilience and wellness work, while the TCHR program addresses healthcare workforce development. Additional offerings include NAMSI professional development, Virtual Tours, the Museum Store/Acorn Bites Shop retail platform, tobacco prevention programming, college preparation support, and community resource coordination. CIMCC also maintains digital learning infrastructure through Moodle-based courses, iOS mobile applications, and an online video library.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Native STEM Maker Program: Hands-on STEM education program incorporating traditional ecological knowledge and Native perspectives for students and educators.
• Center for Resilient Native Generations (CRNG)
• Climate-Ready TCHR Program
• Honor the Air: Tobacco Prevention Project
• Cultural Pathways Project
• Tribal Youth Ambassadors (TYA)
• NAMSI - Native American Museum Studies Institute
• Acorn Foodways Research Project
• Healing Through Cultural Arts (HTCA)

Products and services

• Museum Exhibits In-person and virtual museum exhibits showcasing California Indian history, cultures, and contemporary life for general public visitors, students, and researchers.
• Native STEM Maker Program Hands-on STEM education program for K-12 students demonstrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in traditional lifeways and Traditional Ecological Knowledge.
• Education Center Curricula Culturally-grounded educational curricula bundle including Healthy Ecosystems, Seven Essential Understandings, The 6 P's California Indian Curriculum, Math Interwoven, and Representation Matters for K-12 students.
• Language Resources Pomo language preservation resources including the Bahtssal Eastern Pomo Language Course (10-unit online course), iOS Language Apps for Bahtssal, Northern Pomo, Central Pomo, Southern Pomo, and kanwin ṣamal, and an Eastern Pomo Dictionary.
• Food Sovereignty and Security Program Research and community programs addressing food sovereignty, including the Acorn Foodways Research Project, assessment findings, healthy foods resource guides, and toolkits for tribal communities.
• Native Youth Programs Youth empowerment initiatives including Tribal Youth Ambassadors, Cultural Pathways Project, and Healing Through Cultural Arts workshops serving Native youth in Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino counties.
• Native American Museum Studies Institute (NAMSI) Annual professional development institute for tribal museum professionals covering collections management, conservation, curation, exhibit design, repatriation/NAGPRA, and museum development, held at UC Berkeley.
• Center for Resilient Native Generations (CRNG) Resilience hub advancing climate resilience, cultural continuity, and wellness for Native Peoples, featuring the California Indian Traditional Food Incubator and supporting Native Traditional Food Producers.
• Honor the Air (Tobacco Prevention Project) Five-year tribal youth ambassador program to reduce secondhand and thirdhand smoke exposure among Native families, creating educational materials and smoke-free home resources rooted in cultural values.
• Climate-Ready Tribal Community Health Representatives (TCHR) Program Training program raising new generations of Tribal health workers through culturally relevant education in public health, climate resilience, and emergency preparedness, with professional certification pathways through Santa Rosa Junior College.
• Virtual Tours and Online Programming Online educational content including virtual tours of exhibits (Ishi, Indigenous Foods, Precious Cargo), video lessons, and STEM curriculum accessible remotely.
• Museum Store Native marketplace providing an entrepreneurial platform for California Indigenous artists to showcase and sell items, operating as a social enterprise and training ground for Native youth.
• I Can Go To College! Program College preparation and enrollment support program providing resources on California community colleges, financial aid, and pathways to higher education for Native youth.
• Acorn Bites Shop Online retail platform for purchasing traditional food products including Acorn Energy Bites, supporting Native food producers through the Traditional Food Incubator.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,900 Native youth and community members engaged in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Sonoma WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop community mural with Native youth artists celebrating Native culture and water stewardship
• San Diego County Office of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Seeds of Native Knowledge: Culturally Sustaining Teaching Institutes for educators
• The Cultural ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting Indigenous food systems and cultural preservation work
• California Academy of SciencesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in science education and Native knowledge integration
• The Progressive Tribal AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with tribal alliance supporting Native community initiatives
• Alliance for Felix CovemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Voices of Tamal-Liwa exhibit sharing Támal-ko (Coast Miwok) and Indigenous peoples stories of Marin County
• The Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California BerkeleymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in science education and research collaboration
• Joseph A. Myers Center for Research on Native American Issues, UC BerkeleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of NAMSI (Native American Museum Studies Institute) - annual professional development workshop for tribal museum professionals
• Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of AnthropologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of NAMSI and partner in collections management and repatriation training
• Santa Rosa Junior CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Climate-Ready Tribal Community Health Representatives program providing CHW certification and Tribal Emergency Preparedness coursework
• Redbud Resource GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurriculum development partner for Healthy Ecosystems Curriculum exploring California oak woodland ecosystems from Native perspectives
• Arwarbukarl Cultural Resource Association Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for development of Pomo language mobile applications (bahtssal, Northern Pomo, Central Pomo, Southern Pomo, kanwin ṱamal)

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Heard Museum: Heard Museum in Phoenix is one of the largest private museums dedicated to Native American art, history, and culture, with deep Southwestern tribal relationships. Directly comparable to CIMCC as a nonprofit cultural center serving Indigenous education, exhibitions, and cultural programming.
• The Cultural Conservancy: The Cultural Conservancy is a Native-led nonprofit supporting Indigenous land stewardship, cultural revitalization, and Indigenous food systems. Directly comparable to CIMCC's Center for Resilient Native Generations and Acorn Foodways work as a peer Indigenous cultural-preservation organization.
• The Museum at Warm Springs: The Museum at Warm Springs is a tribally-owned and operated cultural center on the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation in Oregon preserving and interpreting Plateau tribal heritage. Direct peer as a tribal cultural center with comparable size and mission.
• Indian Pueblo Cultural Center: Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque is a Native-led nonprofit preserving and promoting Pueblo Indian cultures through museum exhibits, educational programs, and cultural events. Direct peer as an Indigenous-led cultural center with comparable programmatic scope (exhibits, education, language, foodways).
• Agua Caliente Cultural Museum: Agua Caliente Cultural Museum in Palm Springs preserves the history, culture, and traditions of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Direct peer as a California-based Native-led tribal museum with similar community engagement and education scope.
• Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center: Mashantucket Pequot Museum in Connecticut is a tribally-owned museum focused on Northeastern Native history and culture with research, education, and exhibits. Direct peer as a tribal-led museum with cultural education and research programming comparable to CIMCC's structure.

Others

• California Academy of Sciences: California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco is a natural history museum and research institution, and a named CIMCC partner. Adjacent rather than competitive: both serve K-12 STEM education in California, but CalAcademy is far larger and not Indigenous-led.

Broad incumbents

• Autry Museum of the American West: Autry Museum in Los Angeles collects art and artifacts of the American West, including substantial Native American collections, and operates K-12 educational programming. Comparable to CIMCC's California-focused Native history mission but broader in geographic scope and significantly larger.
• Museum of Indian Arts and Culture (Santa Fe): Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, operated by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, holds major Native American art and material culture collections. Comparable to CIMCC's cultural-preservation mission but state-operated and significantly larger.
• Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian: The Smithsonian NMAI operates three facilities (Washington, NYC, Suitland) covering Native peoples of the Western Hemisphere. Comparable to CIMCC in mission (Indigenous cultural preservation and education) but operates at national scale with federal backing and far larger endowment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CIMandCC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCMd6t9U9u0yQXigz7fIiOsQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/CIMandCC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-indian-museum-and-cultural-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/calindianmuseum

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about California Indian Museum and Cultural Center