National Japanese American Historical Society

What National Japanese American Historical Society does

The National Japanese American Historical Society (NJAHS) is a San Francisco-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in 1981, dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing the Japanese American experience with particular emphasis on the WWII incarceration era and the service of Nisei soldiers. The organization operates two permanent physical sites: the Japantown Peace Gallery in San Francisco's Japantown and the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) Historic Learning Center at Building 640 in the Presidio of San Francisco — the original WWII MIS Language School site. NJAHS runs educational curriculum programs (nine teacher kits targeting grades 4–12), teacher institutes, walking tours, community events, and a traveling exhibit program that, as of February 2026, includes "I Am An American: The Nisei Soldier Experience," a national five-year tour across 11 venues.

NJAHS maintains a digital archive of more than 1,000 historical images — artifacts, documents, photographs, architectural drawings from the National Archives, and Japanese American audio/video oral histories — accessible through its website. The technology footprint is deliberately limited: a WordPress-based site, a Shopify storefront for merchandise, and standard email/social channels; no APIs, AI, or proprietary software platforms are offered.

Revenue is generated through nine membership tiers (Student $25 through Life $1,000), museum admissions ($15 general; free for veterans, children under 12, and members), donations at preset levels up to $10,000 with planned-giving options, curriculum resource sales, venue rentals at Building 640 (capacities up to 200), gift shop sales, seasonal raffles, and grants. Partnerships anchor programming — the Tule Lake Committee on oral history (with California Civil Liberties Public Education Program funding), the Japanese American National Museum on cross-museum exhibits, and the National Veterans Network, Army Historical Foundation, and National Museum of the United States Army on the touring Nisei soldier exhibit. The organization is privately funded through memberships, donations, and grants; there are no investors, parent entities, or disclosed financial statements.

Name

National Japanese American Historical Society

Legal name

National Japanese American Historical Society, Inc.

Website

https://njahs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The National Japanese American Historical Society is a San Francisco-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1981 that operates two museum sites — the Japantown Peace Gallery and the MIS Historic Learning Center at the Presidio — preserving Japanese American history through exhibitions, educational curriculum, digital archives, and community programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historical Society & Museum Services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Historical Sites (712120), Libraries and Archives (51921)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

History Museums (THAJADAB), Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

Keywords

• Japanese American history
• Museum exhibitions
• Educational curriculum
• Cultural heritage preservation
• Historical archives

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership program with multiple tiers from Basic ($40) to Life ($1000) providing access to benefits including the Nikkei Heritage quarterly journal, calendar, discounts, and event invitations
2. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations through various designation funds including General, Memorial/Tribute, Donor Wall, Veterans Tribute, Legacy Endowment Circle, and Day of Remembrance. Accepts stocks, real estate, and planned giving.
3. Museum Admissions: $15 general admission to MIS Historic Learning Center with free admission for veterans, children 12 and under, and NJAHS members. Group and school tours available at $20-$25 per person.
4. Gift Shop Sales: NJAHS Store selling publications, books, and gift items at the Japantown Peace Gallery location
5. Venue Rental: Rental of MIS Historic Learning Center spaces including Building Buyout (capacity 200), Multi-Purpose Room (capacity 40), Kazuo E. Yamane Board Room (capacity 40), and MIS Historic Classroom (capacity 100)
6. Curriculum and Educational Programs: Revenue from curriculum resources for educators including detention camp curriculum, Tule Lake curriculum, and other educational materials
7. Raffles: Seasonal raffle programs offering prizes including travel, accommodations, and cash prizes

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NJAHS is a nonprofit membership organization that operates two permanent museum sites in San Francisco—the MIS Historic Learning Center at the Presidio and the Japantown Peace Gallery—offering exhibitions, walking tours, and educational programs on the Japanese American experience. The society maintains a digital archive of over 1,000 historical images, artifacts, documents, and oral histories; sells published curriculum materials to educators; runs a multi-tier membership program; and rents event spaces at Building 640.

Product overview

NJAHS is a nonprofit membership organization operating two permanent museum sites (MIS Historic Learning Center and Japantown Peace Gallery) in San Francisco, offering exhibitions, educational programs, and research archives focused on the Japanese American experience. The organization provides curriculum resources for educators, operates a digital archives portal with over 1,000 images, offers venue rental services, and maintains a membership program with various tiers. NJAHS produces traveling exhibits, educational workshops, and community programs including walking tours and oral history projects. The organization also operates an e-commerce store through Shopify.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NJAHS Digital Archives An online digital library providing researchers, students, and the public access to over 1,000 high-quality historical images, artifacts, documents, architectural drawings from the National Archives, and Japanese American video and audio oral histories.
• MIS Historic Learning Center (Building 640) An interactive learning center and museum in the Presidio of San Francisco at the original WWII Military Intelligence Service Language School site, offering self-guided and group tours, rotating exhibitions, and school group programs for $15 general admission.
• Japantown Peace Gallery A gallery at 1684 Post Street in San Francisco Japantown featuring rotating exhibitions on Japanese American experience themes (changing every 3–6 months), housing the NJAHS Resource Library and Gift Shop, and offering docent-led cultural and historical Japantown walking tours.
• Educator Curriculum Resources A suite of educational curriculum materials for grades 4–12 teachers including the Detention Camp Class Kit, DOJ Internment curriculum, Farm Labor While Confined curriculum, Life's Angles Camp Art Boxes curriculum, Musicmakers curriculum, Through Our Eyes curriculum, Tule Lake curriculum, We Are All Americans curriculum, and Western Region Confinement Sites curriculum.
• Teacher Institutes Professional development seminars and workshops for educators on Japanese American WWII history and civil rights, including the 'We Are All Americans' multi-media inquiry curricula for grades 4–5.
• Research Services and Archives Research resources including the Nikkei Heritage Archives, 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team documentation, Military Intelligence Service Research Center, Japanese American Baseball History Project, Japanese American Women—Three Generations documentation, and the Tule Lake Oral History Project.
• Membership Program A multi-tier annual membership program with categories including Basic ($40), Family ($50), Non-Profit ($50), Supporting ($60), Contributing ($100), Patron ($500), Corporation ($250), Life ($1000 one-time), and Student ($25), offering benefits such as the Nikkei Heritage quarterly journal, NJAHS calendar, 10% publication discounts, and event invitations.
• NJAHS Online Store An online retail store operated through Shopify selling publications, books, and merchandise related to Japanese American history and culture.
• Venue Rental at MIS Historic Learning Center Event venue rental services at Building 640 offering the Building Buyout (capacity 200), Multi-Purpose Room (capacity 40), Kazuo E. Yamane Board Room (capacity 40), and MIS Historic Classroom (capacity 100).
• I Am An American: The Nisei Soldier Experience Traveling Exhibit A 1,500 square foot immersive traveling exhibit presenting firsthand accounts, rare artifacts, and evocative images of Nisei soldiers from the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and Military Intelligence Service, premiering February 23, 2026 at the MIS Historic Learning Center and touring 11 U.S. venues over five years.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trained over 6,000 linguist soldiers during WWII who contributed to shortening the war by 2 years

Named customers3 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Veterans Network (NVN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 February 2026NVN presents the 'I Am An American: The Nisei Soldier Experience' traveling exhibit in partnership with NJAHS and the National Museum of the United States Army, supported by The Army Historical Foundation. This national five-year tour will travel to 11 venues across the United States.
• Tule Lake CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNJAHS collaborates with the Tule Lake Committee on the Tule Lake Oral History Project, collecting and preserving oral histories of former Tule Lake internees with support from the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program grant.
• Japanese American National Museum (JANM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJANM traveling exhibit 'Contested Histories: Preserving and Sharing a Community Collection' hosted at NJAHS' MIS Historic Learning Center, featuring approximately 400 items created by Japanese American incarcerees during WWII.
• California Civil Liberties Public Education ProgramminorOthersGrant provider supporting the Tule Lake Oral History Project collaboration between NJAHS and the Tule Lake Committee.
• National Museum of the United States ArmycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in presenting the 'I Am An American' traveling exhibit, providing institutional support and venue access for the national tour.
• The Army Historical FoundationminorOthersSupporting partner for the 'I Am An American' traveling exhibit, contributing to funding and promotion of the national touring program.
• California Civil Liberties ActminorOthersFunding source for the 'We Are All Americans' educational curriculum project, providing multi-media inquiry curricula for teachers of grades 4 to 5.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tule Lake Committee: Grassroots organization focused on the Tule Lake WWII incarceration site, partnered with NJAHS on the Tule Lake Oral History Project. Overlapping subject matter, oral histories, and curriculum.
• Densho: Seattle-based nonprofit preserving Japanese American incarceration stories through oral histories and digital archives. Closely comparable archival, educational, and oral-history focus, particularly on WWII confinement.
• Japanese American National Museum: The largest U.S. museum dedicated to the Japanese American experience, also producing traveling exhibits that hosted at NJAHS. Directly comparable mission (preserve, exhibit, educate on Japanese American history) at a materially larger scale.
• Chinese Historical Society of America Museum: San Francisco-based ethnic heritage museum and archives with comparable mission, scale, and San Francisco footprint, including neighborhood-cultural-center overlap with NJAHS in historic ethnic neighborhoods.
• Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation: Nonprofit preserving the immigration/intake history of Angel Island, including the Asian Pacific immigrant narrative. Strong overlap with NJAHS on Asian American immigration and civic-rights history preservation.

Broad incumbents

• Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience: Seattle museum covering broader Asian Pacific American history with similar exhibit, education, and archival activities. Larger scope but overlapping operating model and audience.

Regional players

• Oregon Historical Society: Oregon-based state history museum also hosting the NJAHS traveling exhibit tour. Comparable nonprofit historical-museum operating model and educational programming.
• Bishop Museum: Honolulu-based cultural and natural history museum hosting the I Am An American traveling exhibit. Comparable heritage museum scale and programming approach, though much broader subject scope.
• Manzanar National Historic Site (NPS): National Park Service site preserving one of the WWII Japanese American incarceration camps. Closely related interpretive and educational mission, but government-operated rather than nonprofit.
• Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj): San Jose-based history museum with a similar Nikkei-community focus, exhibits, and educational programming. Comparable operating model for a regional scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/nationaljapaneseamericanhistoricalsociety
• Xx.com/NJAHS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-japanese-american-historical-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Japanese American Historical Society