MuseumTV
MuseumTV, founded in 2016 under Stichting Ons Museum, is a Dutch video-on-demand platform offering free short documentaries and promotional videos from 326+ Dutch museums across exhibitions, collections, and heritage. It serves museum visitors, non-visitors, and Dutch museums via web, app, and telecom and broadcast partners, funded primarily by cultural foundations, provincial governments, and a voluntary membership program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What MuseumTV does
MuseumTV is a Dutch video-on-demand platform for the cultural-heritage sector, founded in 2016 as an initiative of Stichting Ons Museum and operated under Museumtijdschrift. The platform aggregates short documentaries, art bites, and promotional videos about Dutch museums, exhibitions, and collections, accessible free via the museumtv.nl website, a mobile app, and partner distribution channels including KPN, VodafoneZiggo, KLM (inflight), and NPO 2 Extra. The catalogue spans current exhibitions, archived past exhibitions, and standing collections across 326+ actively participating museums and approximately 626 museums listed in the directory, with content categorised by province and theme (architecture, design, heritage, history, kids, art, nature, science, etc.). Discovery tools include a province-based directory, a curated Top 50 Museums list, and the 'Museum Ladder' format designed to push visitors beyond familiar patterns.
The business model is hybrid: viewer-side access is freemium, supported by an optional 'Vriendlidmaatschap' (Friend Membership) on a recurring donation basis; museum-side revenue comes from professional video-production services and online-marketing workshops (over 60 museums have been trained to date); and the majority of operating funding flows in as grants and subsidies from Dutch cultural foundations (Mondriaan Fonds, VSB Fonds, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, KF Hein Fonds) and ten provincial governments. The platform has expanded its format portfolio with Bingo Battle (2018, CJP/Mondriaan collaboration for MBO students), 'Door De Ogen Van' (2019, diversity in collections), the 'Je Eerste Keer' podcast (2021), and 'What's New' short-form exhibition videos (2021).
Geographically, MuseumTV serves the Netherlands only, though KLM inflight provides incidental international exposure. Annual reach is approximately 21.9 million across owned channels (website, app, newsletter, social) and 7.4 million across broadcast and telecom partners, with 45.6 million impressions logged in 2021. The company is privately held under a stichting (foundation) structure with no disclosed VC/PE funding, no public revenue figures, and no disclosed headcount.
MuseumTV firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MuseumTV
- Legal name
- MuseumTV
- Website
- https://museumtv.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- MuseumTV, founded in 2016 under Stichting Ons Museum, is a Dutch video-on-demand platform offering free short documentaries and promotional videos from 326+ Dutch museums across exhibitions, collections, and heritage. It serves museum visitors, non-visitors, and Dutch museums via web, app, and telecom and broadcast partners, funded primarily by cultural foundations, provincial governments, and a voluntary membership program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MuseumTV industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cultural Video Streaming
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)
Keywords
Where MuseumTV is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
MuseumTV business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Foundation Grants and Subsidies: MuseumTV is supported by subsidies from cultural foundations and provincial governments, including Mondriaan Fonds, VSB Fonds, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, and KF Hein Fonds. Provincial support from Overijssel, Flevoland, Drenthe, Utrecht, Groningen, Gelderland, Noord-Brabant, Limburg, Noord-Holland, and Zeeland enables the platform to include small regional museums.
- MuseumTV Vriendlidmaatschap (Friend Membership): Voluntary membership program where supporters contribute financially. Members receive exclusive access to products and services, including a personal profile for unlimited access to the documentary collection. Membership runs indefinitely until cancelled.
- Video Production Services: MuseumTV produces promotional videos, documentaries, and short social media content for museums, providing them with access to professional makers, marketing professionals, and distribution networks. Museums benefit from high quality, market-competitive pricing, and broad reach.
- Partner Marketing: Distribution partnerships with KPN, VodafoneZiggo, NPO 2 Extra, AT5, and CJP provide reach to new audiences. Partners gain access to cultural content for their platforms while MuseumTV gains distribution channels.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free Access - Core Platform |
| Subscription | Monthly | MuseumTV Vriendlidmaatschap (Friend Membership) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
MuseumTV product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MuseumTV operates a free Dutch-language video-on-demand platform featuring 500+ short documentaries, art bites, and promotional videos about 360+ participating museums across all 12 Dutch provinces. The platform is accessible via website, mobile app, and telecom/broadcast partners (KPN, VodafoneZiggo, NPO 2 Extra, KLM). Beyond viewer content, MuseumTV provides B2B video production services and online-marketing workshops for Dutch museums seeking digital reach.
Product overview
MuseumTV is a unified video-on-demand platform for Dutch museums offering short documentaries, art bites, promotional videos, and exhibition content. The core platform (MuseumTV Video Platform) is accessible via website and app, with content distributed through partners including KPN, VodafoneZiggo, and NPO 2 Extra. The platform includes museum/exhibition discovery tools, a curated Top 50 Museums selection, an exhibition calendar, and a blog. MuseumTV also produces content formats like Bingo Battle, Door De Ogen Van, What's New, and the Je Eerste Keer podcast for audience engagement. For museum partners, MuseumTV offers professional video production services and online marketing workshops. A Vriend (Friend) membership provides exclusive access to paying members.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Museum2Go: A platform developed in collaboration with Albert Heijn for museum content accessibility.
- Bingo Battle
- Door De Ogen Van
- What's New
- Je Eerste Keer
Products and services
- MuseumTV Video Platform A video-on-demand platform for Dutch museums offering short documentaries, art bites, and promotional videos about exhibitions, collections, and museums across the Netherlands. Available via website, app, and distribution partners (KPN, VodafoneZiggo, KLM, NPO 2 Extra). Targets general Dutch public as viewers and museums as content partners.
- MuseumTV Mobile App Mobile application for accessing MuseumTV video content on smartphones and tablets, complementing the web platform for on-the-go viewing of museum documentaries.
- MuseumTV Vriend (Friend) Membership A voluntary paid membership program for supporters who contribute financially, with a minimum donation communicated during registration. Paying members receive exclusive access to products and services, including a personal profile with unlimited access to the full documentary collection. Membership runs indefinitely until cancelled and can be paid via iDeal or SEPA direct debit.
- Professional Video Production for Museums A B2B service in which MuseumTV produces promotional videos, documentaries, and short social-media videos for museums, drawing on professional makers, marketing professionals, and its distribution network. Helps museums with limited marketing budgets gain high-quality, broadly distributed video content at market-competitive pricing.
- Museum Workshops (Online Strategy Training) Workshops offered by MuseumTV to museum staff teaching them how to profile themselves online and develop a sustainable online strategy. Over sixty museums have been supported through this service.
- Je Eerste Keer Podcast A podcast series where well-known Dutch personalities share their first museum experiences in an accessible way, designed to bring museum visits into the experience world of young people. Hosted by Samuel van den Broek.
Quantifiable outcome
- 45.6 million impressions achieved in 2021
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use MuseumTV
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
MuseumTV technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
MuseumTV partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
29 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen)minorMuseumTV and NS collaborate to bring culture in images to travelers, for example via RailTV.
- Stichting Ons MuseumcoreStichting Ons Museum is the foundation behind MuseumTV. Its mission is to bring as many people as possible into contact with art and culture. MuseumTV is an initiative of Stichting Ons Museum and collaborating museums in the Netherlands.
- KPNcoreKPN is a telecommunications and ICT services provider offering fixed and mobile telephony, internet, and television. KPN distributes MuseumTV content through its entertainment platform, providing significant reach to Dutch consumers.
- VodafoneZiggocoreZiggo is the largest cable operator in the Netherlands providing digital cable television, internet, and telephony to residential and business customers. Ziggo distributes MuseumTV content through its platform.
- NPO 2 ExtracoreNTR is a public broadcaster making special programs for all target groups with tasks in information, education, culture, youth, and diversity. NPO 2 Extra broadcasts cultural programming including MuseumTV content.
- KLMminorSelected videos are visible in the KLM Inflight system, increasing museum reach literally and figuratively by reaching international travelers.
- CJPcoreCJP is a platform for culture enthusiasts with the mission to make culture accessible to everyone under 30, primarily through the CJP pass. Partnership started in 2018 to introduce MBO students to Dutch museum offerings via formats like Bingo Battle.
- HEMAminorMuseumTV and HEMA collaborate for the HEMA Museum Weeks, giving participating museums significant reach to new audiences through HEMA's retail presence.
- Albert HeijnminorMuseumTV and Albert Heijn collaborated on the Museum2Go platform, bringing museum content to grocery shoppers.
- AT5minorAT5 is the Amsterdam regional news channel, distributing MuseumTV content to local audiences.
- Mondriaan FondscoreMondriaan Fonds is the public stimulation fund for visual arts and cultural heritage. It promotes special and innovative projects by artists, mediators, museums, and other heritage institutions. Helped fund Bingo Battle program for youth outreach.
- VSB FondscoreVSBfonds provides funding for social and cultural projects and grants scholarships. Supports MuseumTV's mission to bring culture to broad audiences.
- Prins Bernhard CultuurfondscorePrins Bernhard Cultuurfonds supports culture, nature, and science in the Netherlands through financial contributions, commissions, prizes, and scholarships. Supports special initiatives and talent with over 3,500 projects funded annually.
- Vereniging RembrandtminorVereniging Rembrandt is an association of art lovers whose main task is to provide support for art purchases by Dutch museums.
- KF Hein FondsminorK.F. Hein Fonds provides support to organizations and institutions in culture, performing arts, social work, heritage conservation, nature conservation, and public health.
- NBTC Holland MarketingminorNBTC Holland Marketing is responsible for branding and marketing of the Netherlands domestically and internationally. Through the Holland brand, NBTC positions the Netherlands as an attractive destination for holidays and business.
- Provincie DrenthecoreThanks to Provincie Drenthe, MuseumTV was able to add 30 new museums from Drenthe to the platform.
- Provincie UtrechtcoreThanks to Provincie Utrecht, MuseumTV added 10 new museums from Utrecht to the platform.
- Provincie GroningencoreThanks to Provincie Groningen, MuseumTV added 12 new museums to the platform.
- Provincie OverijsselcoreProvincie Overijssel connects, strengthens, and renews under the motto 'Cultuur in de Schijnwerpers' (Culture in the Spotlight). Thanks to the province, MuseumTV added 11 Overijssel museums to the platform.
- Provincie FlevolandcoreThanks to Provincie Flevoland, MuseumTV added 3 new museums: Museum Nagele, Museum Schokland, and Erfgoed Batavialand.
- Provincie GelderlandcoreWith thanks to Provincie Gelderland, MuseumTV brought various museums in Gelderland into view.
- Provincie Noord-BrabantcoreMuseumTV added multiple Noord-Brabant museums to its catalog thanks to support from Provincie Noord-Brabant.
- Provincie LimburgcoreLimburg museums are now represented on MuseumTV thanks to Provincie Limburg.
- Provincie Noord-HollandcoreSupport from Provincie Noord-Holland enabled MuseumTV to add multiple videos of museums from this province to the platform.
- Provincie ZeelandcoreThanks to the help of Provincie Zeeland, MuseumTV also established a presence in Zeeland province.
- MuseumtijdschriftcoreMuseumTV is part of Museumtijdschrift, the magazine companion for Dutch museum culture. Contact email is [email protected].
- Research to CreateminorMuseumTV collaborated with Research to Create to research the customer journey of Dutch museum visits, examining touchpoints in the decision process, actual visit, and post-visit behavior.
- RijksmuseumminorThe Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is one of 16 national museums in the Netherlands, featuring Dutch art and history including 17th-century Dutch masters like Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Hals.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
MuseumTV competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Europeana: EU-funded digital platform for European cultural heritage, providing access to digitized museum collections, exhibitions, and educational content across Europe. Directly comparable as a publicly-supported digital platform aggregating museum content for public discovery.
- Cuseum: Digital engagement platform for museums providing AR, mobile apps, and content tools to drive visitation and audience engagement. Comparable as a B2B/consumer platform serving museum digital strategy needs.
- Smartify: Mobile app offering audio guides, AR experiences, and digital museum tours across global cultural institutions. Comparable as a museum-engagement digital platform focusing on in-visit and pre-visit content delivery.
- Tiqets: Online ticketing and discovery platform for museums and attractions, including a strong footprint in the Netherlands. Comparable as a digital intermediary helping consumers discover and book museum visits, with significant Dutch museum coverage.
- Bloomberg Connects: Bloomberg Philanthropies' free mobile app providing audio, video, and digital guides for 200+ museums and cultural institutions. Direct peer in the museum digital-experience and video content category, with strong institutional backing.
- Stichting Museumkaart: Dutch national Museum Pass providing unlimited access to 400+ museums in the Netherlands. Comparable as a Dutch-market museum-discovery and engagement platform with strong institutional backing.
- Museumtijdschrift: Parent and sister publication of MuseumTV — the Dutch magazine companion for museum culture with an online exhibition agenda. Direct peer as a complementary museum-discovery content property covering the same Dutch market and audience.
- Stichting CJP: Dutch platform (and MuseumTV partner) making culture accessible to young people under 30 via the CJP pass. Direct peer/partner targeting Dutch youth audiences for cultural discovery and museum visitation.
Broad incumbents
- GetYourGuide: Global marketplace for tours, attractions, and museum tickets. Comparable as a digital discovery and booking channel for cultural experiences, including Dutch museums, though at much broader scale across travel categories.
- Google Arts & Culture: Global digital platform partnering with museums and cultural institutions to provide high-resolution imagery, virtual tours, and video content. Comparable as a museum video/content platform serving cultural-discovery use cases, but operates at much larger global scale with broader institutional backing.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
MuseumTV social profiles
Digital presenceMuseumTV financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MuseumTV leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
MuseumTV funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MuseumTV 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 MuseumTV
What does MuseumTV do?
MuseumTV operates a free Dutch-language video-on-demand platform featuring 500+ short documentaries, art bites, and promotional videos about 360+ participating museums across all 12 Dutch provinces. The platform is accessible via website, mobile app, and telecom/broadcast partners (KPN, VodafoneZiggo, NPO 2 Extra, KLM). Beyond viewer content, MuseumTV provides B2B video production services and online-marketing workshops for Dutch museums seeking digital reach.
Is MuseumTV a public or private company?
MuseumTV is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was MuseumTV founded?
MuseumTV was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is MuseumTV based?
MuseumTV is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does MuseumTV make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Foundation Grants and Subsidies are the primary driver. The others are museumTV Vriendlidmaatschap (Friend Membership), video Production Services and partner Marketing.
Who are MuseumTV's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Europeana, Cuseum, Smartify, Tiqets, Bloomberg Connects, Stichting Museumkaart, Museumtijdschrift and Stichting CJP. Broad incumbents are GetYourGuide and Google Arts & Culture.
Does MuseumTV have an API?
No public API is recorded for MuseumTV.
What industry is MuseumTV in?
MuseumTV's product category is Cultural Video Streaming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAH, Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit). Its NAICS code is 7121 and its SIC code is 7812.