Artis
Artis is a 1838-founded Amsterdam nonprofit operating a historic zoo, botanical garden, planetarium, and three museums including the world's first microbe museum, serving 1.3 million+ annual visitors through ticketing, memberships, and corporate partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1838
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Artis does
Artis is a stichting (Dutch foundation/nonprofit) operating one of the world's five oldest zoos, founded in 1838 in central Amsterdam. The organization runs three core attractions from its Plantage Kerklaan campus: ARTIS-Park (a historic zoo with botanical garden, Planetarium, and the recently restored 1882 Aquarium), ARTIS-Micropia (the world's first microbe museum, opened 2014), and ARTIS-Groote Museum (an interactive natural history museum reopened 2022). The 26-hectare site contains 26 national monuments and 800+ trees. Artis coordinates 5 European Endangered Species Programmes and participates in 86 species conservation programs under EAZA membership.
The organization serves more than 1.3 million visitors annually, segmented across families, school groups, tourists, and corporate clients. Its technology stack comprises an integrated website (artis.nl), a dedicated e-commerce ticketing platform (dagtickets.artis.nl), a mobile application, and a recently launched unified content management system built with DEPT. Digital investment has produced measurable outcomes: a 50-60% increase in active website users, 40% increase in event registrations, and 300% increase in donations since launch.
Artis operates a hybrid revenue model combining one-time ticket sales (zoo, Micropia, Groote Museum with combination options and online discounts), recurring annual memberships with unlimited access, corporate partnerships and sponsorships (notably Rabobank, DEPT, Uber/Jeugdeducatiefonds), event hosting and venue rental (including Zoomeravonden summer evenings), donations and legacy giving (Vrienden van ARTIS), on-site horeca and retail, and parking (€14.50/day members, €17.00/day non-members). Pricing is unit-based with freemium elements for refugees and annual subscriptions for members. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through owned digital channels supplemented by partnership marketing (Natwerk, Culture Ferry) and earned media.
Artis firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Artis
- Legal name
- ARTIS
- Website
- https://artis.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1838
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Artis is a 1838-founded Amsterdam nonprofit operating a historic zoo, botanical garden, planetarium, and three museums including the world's first microbe museum, serving 1.3 million+ annual visitors through ticketing, memberships, and corporate partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Artis industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Zoo and Museum Operations
- NAICS
- Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Museums (712110), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Natural History Museums (THAJADAC), Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions (THAJACAH)
Keywords
Where Artis is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Artis business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from admission tickets to ARTIS-Park (zoo), ARTIS-Micropia (microbe museum), and ARTIS-Groote Museum (natural history museum). Tickets are sold online at discounted rates and at the physical ticket office at a higher price. Combination tickets are available for visiting multiple locations.
- Membership/Lidmaatschap: Annual membership subscriptions offering free unlimited access, discounts at horeca and shops, parking benefits, and free companion passes for visitors needing assistance.
- Corporate Partnerships & Sponsoring: Business partnerships including adoptions, sponsorships, and corporate events. Companies can partner with ARTIS for education and nature conservation impact.
- Donations & Fundraising: Individual donations including one-time gifts and periodic contributions. Legacies and bequests (nalaten). Friends of ARTIS (Vrienden van ARTIS) program with annual gatherings.
- Events & Venue Rental: Private and corporate event hosting at the park venues, including the Zoomeravonden summer evening events with live music, workshops, and tours.
- Horeca & Retail: Restaurants, cafes, and shops within the park. Members receive discounts.
- Parking: On-site car park with daily rates: members €14.50, non-members €17.00. Hourly rate €6.73 without daily ticket.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Online tickets are cheaper than at the ticket office |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Museum Pass holders receive discounted admission |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free admission for refugees |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual membership with unlimited access |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Combination tickets for multiple venues |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Parking rates |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels9 records
Artis product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Artis operates a historic zoo, botanical garden, and museum complex in central Amsterdam. It runs three core visitor attractions — ARTIS-Park (zoo with aquarium and planetarium), ARTIS-Micropia (the world's first microbe museum), and ARTIS-Groote Museum (interactive natural history museum) — alongside memberships, school programs, corporate events, on-site horeca and retail, and parking. The organization coordinates European Endangered Species Programmes and conducts conservation research as a foundation dedicated to connecting people with nature.
Product overview
ARTIS is a historic Amsterdam nature complex comprising three core attractions: ARTIS-Park (zoo with botanical garden, planetarium, and aquarium), ARTIS-Micropia (microbe museum), and ARTIS-Groote Museum (natural history museum). Additional offerings include membership programs, special evening events (Zoomeravonden), school programs, corporate events, and a digital platform. The organization operates as a foundation focused on nature conservation and education, hosting over 1.3 million visitors annually.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ARTIS-Academie: Educational programmes including courses and lectures
- Zoomeravonden
- Duik in ARTIS
- Aardbewoners Festival
Products and services
- ARTIS-Park Historic Amsterdam zoo and botanical garden featuring animals and plants from around the world, including a Planetarium, Aquarium, and 26 national monuments, open daily to the general public, families, school groups, and tourists.
- ARTIS-Micropia The world's first microbe museum, allowing visitors to discover how invisible microorganisms influence human life. Targeted at families, school groups, and the general public interested in biology and science.
- ARTIS-Groote Museum Interactive natural history museum exploring the connection between humans and nature through exhibitions, artifacts, and installations, including the 'Fantasie-aquarium: Wij, Waterdieren' exhibition. Serves families, school groups, and the general public.
- ARTIS-Aquarium Historic aquarium building from 1882 featuring colorful underwater life, reopened in 2026 with sustainable upgrades including heat-cold storage using canal water and 118 solar panels. Open to the general public.
- ARTIS-Planetarium Planetarium offering space exploration experiences and shows, operated as part of ARTIS-Park.
- ARTIS-Membership (Lidmaatschap) Annual membership subscription offering free unlimited access to ARTIS-Park, Micropia, and Groote Museum, plus discounts at on-site horeca and shops, reduced parking (€14.50/day), and free companion passes for visitors needing assistance.
- Zoomeravonden Summer Events Summer evening events featuring live music, workshops, and special activities in the park after regular closing hours. Open to the general public and visitors.
- Corporate Events & Venue Rental Private and corporate event hosting at various park venues for businesses seeking unique venues for team building, receptions, and corporate gatherings.
- ARTIS-Academie Educational Programs Educational courses, lectures, school programs, and guided tours (638 annually) covering nature, biodiversity, and conservation for schools, teachers, and lifelong learners.
Quantifiable outcome
- 800+ tree urban botanical garden in Amsterdam city center
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Artis
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Artis technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Artis partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- WWF-NL (Wereld Natuur Fonds Nederland)coreMulti-year partnership to actively involve children in nature and nature restoration. Joint initiative to engage new generations in conservation efforts.
- Ipsos I&OcoreMulti-year strategic partnership for impact research. Ipsos I&O will provide data-driven insights to help ARTIS measure and achieve its mission of inspiring people to live in connection with nature. Research will cover visitor perspectives and expectations.
- DEPTcoreStrategic digital partnership to strengthen online nature experience. DEPT provides technological expertise and creative capabilities to support ARTIS's mission. Projects include new digital platform for Aquarium reopening 2026 combining education, experience, visitor information, and fundraising. ARTIS also joins DEPT Cares Day for positive impact. Preceded by successful collaboration launching new content platform and app.
- Rabobank AmsterdamcoreMulti-year impact partnership to make nature experiences accessible to as many Amsterdammers as possible and inspire action for a habitable planet.
- NatwerkcoreMarketing partnership for the Aardbewoners Festival campaign, the first collaboration between ARTIS and Natwerk. Natwerk developed an activating campaign with out-of-home advertising targeting all earth inhabitants from microbes to humans. Three campaigns planned for 2024.
- Wageningen Universiteit (WUR)coreDNA research collaboration with the Animal Breeding & Genomics group at WUR for genetic studies of small Asian mouse deer, California horn shark, and shorttail nurse shark. Research contributes to species conservation and potential reintroduction to wild.
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU)coreDNA research collaboration with the Ecology & Evolution group at VU for genetic studies of zoo animal species to understand ancestry and health for long-term conservation.
- Singapore ZoomajorFuture home for ARTIS's California sea lions. Singapore Zoo is one of the world's most modern zoos and member of EAZA, pursuing highest animal welfare standards. Currently building a new, modern spacious enclosure for the sea lions.
- Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem)minorPartner in European conservation program (EEP) for shorttail nurse shark. ARTIS coordinated EEP. Nurse sharks stayed at Burgers' Zoo during Aquarium renovation, where they successfully laid eggs.
- Barbara Eveline Keuning StichtingminorResearch funding foundation supporting DNA research on shorttail nurse shark at ARTIS.
- Rijksakademie (Royal Academy of Art, Amsterdam)minorResidency program partnership (ARTISt-in-Residence). Third edition in 2024, enabling artists to create works inspired by ARTIS collections and animals.
- Universiteit UtrechtcoreResearch partnership since 2023 to measure nature education impact and maximize positive effects on visitors' conservation knowledge and behavior.
- Culture FerryminorHop-on hop-off boat service (April-October) stopping at Entrepotdok and Plantage Muidergracht for ARTIS visitors.
- Thirteen Dutch Zoos (including ARTIS)majorJoint initiative to restore rainforest in Madagascar. Protecting 250 hectares of nature and planting 1 million trees to preserve unique plant and animal species found only on this island.
- Uber, Jeugdeducatiefonds, OostenrijkcorePartnership enabling 6,000 children from schools with many students in poverty to receive educational nature excursions to ARTIS.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves13 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Artis competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Copenhagen Zoo: Major European zoo with strong scientific research arm and modern facilities. Comparable on EAZA membership, conservation programs, and urban-attraction positioning.
- Smithsonian's National Zoo: US flagship zoo with strong conservation research mandate and free admission model. Comparable on scientific authority, species survival programs, and educational scale, though operating model is government-funded.
- Tiergarten Schönbrunn (Vienna Zoo): World's oldest zoo (1742) with UNESCO heritage setting and major conservation role. Comparable on heritage positioning, European capital tourism, and multi-venue expansion model.
- London Zoo (Zoological Society of London): Historic European capital zoo with deep conservation and scientific remit through ZSL. Comparable on heritage, EEP coordination scale, conservation research, and urban zoo challenges; larger and broader in scope.
Direct peers
- Antwerp Zoo (KMDA): One of Europe's oldest zoos (1843), directly comparable to ARTIS on heritage positioning, multi-attraction model, and European capital city location. Shares similar museum/zoo hybrid structure.
- Pairi Daiza: Large Belgian zoo and aquarium complex with immersive themed worlds and conservation focus. Comparable on multi-attraction visitor model, aquarium offering, and pan-European tourism draw.
- Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam Zoo): Major Dutch zoo in Rotterdam operating a comparable combination of animal park, aquarium (Oceanium), and conservation programs. Most direct Dutch competitor in scale, visitor model, and EEP participation.
- Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem): Large Dutch zoo and existing ARTIS partner (collaborated on nurse shark EEP). Operates themed animal habitats and conservation programs at comparable scale to ARTIS, with overlapping EAZA membership and school programs.
Emerging players
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Dutch natural history museum and research institution in Leiden. Comparable to ARTIS-Groote Museum on natural history collections, scientific research, and Dutch educational programming.
Regional players
- Singapore Zoo (Mandai Wildlife Group): Partner zoo receiving ARTIS's California sea lions. Comparable on EAZA-equivalent standards, modern enclosure design, and high welfare positioning, but serves Asia-Pacific geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Artis social profiles
Digital presenceArtis financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Artis leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Artis subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Artis funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Artis 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 Artis
What does Artis do?
Artis operates a historic zoo, botanical garden, and museum complex in central Amsterdam. It runs three core visitor attractions — ARTIS-Park (zoo with aquarium and planetarium), ARTIS-Micropia (the world's first microbe museum), and ARTIS-Groote Museum (interactive natural history museum) — alongside memberships, school programs, corporate events, on-site horeca and retail, and parking. The organization coordinates European Endangered Species Programmes and conducts conservation research as a foundation dedicated to connecting people with nature.
Is Artis a public or private company?
Artis is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Artis founded?
Artis was founded in 1838. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Artis based?
Artis is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Artis make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are membership/Lidmaatschap, corporate Partnerships & Sponsoring, donations & Fundraising, events & Venue Rental, horeca & Retail and parking.
Who are Artis's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Copenhagen Zoo, Smithsonian's National Zoo, Tiergarten Schönbrunn (Vienna Zoo) and London Zoo (Zoological Society of London). Direct peers are Antwerp Zoo (KMDA), Pairi Daiza, Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam Zoo) and Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem). Naturalis Biodiversity Center is listed as an emerging player. Singapore Zoo (Mandai Wildlife Group) is listed as a regional player.
Does Artis have an API?
No public API is recorded for Artis.
What industry is Artis in?
Artis's product category is Zoo and Museum Operations. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAL, Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections), with a secondary code of THAJADAC, Natural History Museums. Its NAICS code is 71213 and its SIC code is 7900.