American Friends Musées d'Orsay et de l'Orangerie

What American Friends Musées d'Orsay et de l'Orangerie does

American Friends Musées d'Orsay et de l'Orangerie (AFMO) is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2009 with the mission of raising public awareness and financial support for the Musée d'Orsay and its sister institution, the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris. Originally named American Friends of the Musée d'Orsay, the organization was renamed in 2023 to reflect its expanded scope covering both museums, which had been administratively joined under AFMO since 2010. AFMO operates two offices — one inside the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and another in New York — and is governed by a board of directors that includes officers, members, and honorary members such as Jeff Koons, Joachim Pissarro, and Audrey Azoulay. The organization has a staff of approximately five employees supplemented by board-led fundraising activity.

AFMO generates support through three primary revenue streams: individual donations and charitable contributions (including via Donor Advised Funds, stock gifts, corporate matching, and cross-border tax-receipt partners in the UK, Canada, and Australia); annual membership programs providing access to exclusive events and private tours; and high-ticket benefit events such as the annual Gala Dinner (Classic $1,900 / Premium $3,500 per ticket; table pricing $19,000–$35,000) and the flagship "Weekend in Paris" benefit ($9,000–$12,000 per guest). Its go-to-market model is event-driven: monthly members-only events run September through July in Paris and the U.S., complemented by curated cultural trips (including "In Bartholdi's Footsteps" to Colmar, Alsace) and private viewings of exhibitions.

The organization's strategic focus covers special exhibitions, education programs, conservation, gallery improvements, and contemporary art programs at the museums. AFMO played an instrumental role in facilitating the 2016 pledge of more than 600 masterworks from the Spencer and Marlene Hays collection to the Orsay and, as of 2026, has committed to a five-year support program for the Musée d'Orsay's Provenance Research and a new permanent "To whom these works belong" restitution gallery. The organization is positioned to benefit from the Musée d'Orsay's 40th anniversary in 2026 and the 2024 commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Impressionism, which it supported through the "Paris 1874. Inventing Impressionism" exhibition. AFMO carries no technology product, app, or API surface; its operational infrastructure is a standard Squarespace website plus email and event-driven engagement.

Name

American Friends Musées d'Orsay et de l'Orangerie

Legal name

American Friends Musées d'Orsay et de l'Orangerie

Website

https://aforsay.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Short description

American Friends Musées d'Orsay et de l'Orangerie is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 that raises funds and awareness for the Musée d'Orsay and Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris through memberships, donations, and exclusive benefit events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Programs: Annual membership programs provide access to exclusive events, private tours, and other patron benefits at various levels.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donors make tax-deductible contributions to support the museums' exhibitions, education programs, conservation efforts, and gallery improvements. AFMO is recognized as a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
3. Event Tickets and Fundraising: Revenue from gala dinners, Weekend in Paris events, and other exclusive experiences with portions designated as tax-deductible donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AFMO is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises public awareness and financial support for the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée de l'Orangerie. It operates annual membership programs, exclusive patron events (Weekend in Paris, Gala Dinner, Three Evenings in Paris), curated cultural trips, and donation programs that fund exhibitions, education, conservation, contemporary art, and provenance research at the two museums.

Product overview

American Friends Musées d'Orsay et de l'Orangerie (AFMO) is a non-profit organization (501(c)(3)) that serves as a fundraising and membership organization supporting the Musée d'Orsay and Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris. AFMO does not offer a technology product; rather, it provides charitable programs including membership tiers (with Patron Pass Tours and Avant-Garde Young Patrons), annual benefit events (Weekend in Paris, Gala Dinner, Three Evenings in Paris), curated cultural trips (In Bartholdi's Footsteps to Colmar), and supports museum projects including exhibitions, contemporary art programs, provenance research, English-language educational resources, visitor experience improvements, art gifts, and publishing initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AFMO Membership Program (Patron Pass) Annual membership tiers offering art patrons exclusive access to private tours of Musée d'Orsay and Musée de l'Orangerie exhibitions, behind-the-scenes experiences, and cultural events in Paris and the U.S.
• Avant-Garde Young Patrons Program Membership program tailored for younger art patrons and enthusiasts to engage with the Musée d'Orsay and Musée de l'Orangerie through curated events and cultural experiences.
• Weekend in Paris Annual Benefit Multi-day annual fundraising event in Paris including a gala dinner, curated private tours, cooking classes, and exclusive cultural experiences for patrons.
• Gala Dinner 2026 Premium black-tie fundraising gala featuring private exhibition viewing, cocktail reception, and dinner prepared by Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse, with portions of tickets tax-deductible as donations.
• Three Evenings in Paris Series of exclusive cultural evenings in Paris offering AFMO supporters curated experiences tied to the museums' exhibitions and programs.
• In Bartholdi's Footsteps to Colmar (Curated Trip) Curated multi-day cultural trip to Colmar, Alsace, tracing Bartholdi's footsteps, available as an add-on to Weekend in Paris or as a standalone experience including a gala evening ticket.
• Provenance Research Program (MNR Support)

Quantifiable outcome

• 225 MNR works undergoing provenance research with AFMO support
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Christie'sminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Supported the Impressionist Season celebrations and Paris 1874 exhibition in 2024
• The Wall Street Journal MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing media support and visibility for AFMO events and mission
• The American University of ParisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner supporting French-American friendship in the arts
• IndagareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury travel partner providing exclusive access experiences for AFMO patrons
• RuinartminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChampagne partner supplying products for AFMO events and gala dinners
• The Ritz ParisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury hotel partner offering special conditions to AFMO gala guests based on availability
• JK Place ParisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury hotel partner offering special conditions to AFMO gala guests
• Mandarin Oriental Lutetia ParisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury hotel partner offering special conditions to AFMO gala guests
• Myriad AustraliaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFacilitates donations from Australian taxpayers to AFMO with official donation receipts
• Myriad CanadaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFacilitates donations from Canadian taxpayers to AFMO with official donation receipts
• UK Fund for CharitiesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK-based charity registered in England and Wales enabling donations from UK taxpayers with Gift Aid eligibility

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Friends of the Louvre: US-based 501(c)(3) fundraising arm for the Louvre in Paris, operating the same 'American Friends of a French national museum' model as AFMO with memberships, galas, and major-gift facilitation. Most structurally comparable peer.
• American Friends of the British Museum: US nonprofit supporting a major foreign museum (British Museum) via donations, memberships, and exclusive event access. Closely mirrors AFMO's cross-border museum-support model.
• American Friends of the Guggenheim: US-based fundraising organization supporting the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and museum network, with comparable membership tiers, galas, and patron-engagement programs.
• French Heritage Society: US nonprofit dedicated to preserving French cultural heritage through American philanthropy, education programs, and trips. Shares AFMO's French-American cultural fundraising mandate and patron base.
• Save Venice: American nonprofit supporting art and cultural-heritage preservation in Venice, operating through memberships, galas, and restoration-project funding. Comparable 'American Friends of a foreign cultural institution' structure.
• American Friends of Versailles: US-based 501(c)(3) supporting the Palace of Versailles via major gifts, galas, and restoration sponsorship. Operates the same French-heritage American-friends fundraising model as AFMO.
• American Friends of the Vatican Museums: US nonprofit supporting the Vatican Museums through donor cultivation, exhibitions funding, and exclusive patron programs. Analogous cross-border museum-support model with similar patron demographics.

Others

• World Monuments Fund: International cultural-heritage preservation nonprofit that channels philanthropic support toward heritage sites globally. Adjacent rather than directly competitive, but operates in overlapping French-cultural-heritage donor pools.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/webstylestory

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American Friends Musées d'Orsay et de l'Orangerie