Allen Memorial Art Museum
The Allen Memorial Art Museum is an academic art museum at Oberlin College housing 15,000+ works spanning 6,000 years. Founded in 1917, it offers free admission, digital tools including the Allen App and augmented reality tours, and serves primarily Oberlin College students and faculty, with K-12, community, and international exhibition audiences.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1917
- HeadquartersOberlin, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Allen Memorial Art Museum does
The Allen Memorial Art Museum is an academic art museum owned and operated by Oberlin College, founded in 1917 and located at 87 North Main Street in Oberlin, Ohio. It houses a permanent collection of more than 15,000 works spanning roughly 6,000 years of cultural history, with documented strengths in 17th-century Dutch and Flemish painting, Japanese prints, early modern art, and African art, alongside holdings in ancient, American, Asian, and modern and contemporary art. The museum has offered free admission since its founding, with public hours Tuesday through Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and operates the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Weltzheimer/Johnson House as a complementary historic site offering monthly public tours from April through November.
The museum's core products combine on-site access to its galleries with a set of digital extensions, including the Allen App (powered by the STQRY platform) for narrated self-guided tours, the Allen Augmented Reality experience for 3D virtual gallery exploration, and a searchable online collection database. Educational programs include the Art Rental program (in operation since 1940, charging $5 per semester per work for students and community members), the Gallery Guide student employment program, the Shared Art orientation program launched in 2021, and Museum Career Insights. K-12 and community outreach include guided tours, curriculum resources, and disability-centered programs in partnership with organizations such as Alpha Care in Lorain.
The museum operates as a non-profit academic unit of Oberlin College rather than an independent revenue-generating enterprise. Its revenue model comprises annual museum memberships ("Friend of Art" subscriptions), donations and grants from individuals, the Visiting Committee, and foundations (Andria Derstine Fund, Freeman Foundation, Luce Foundation, Kress Foundation, and E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation among them), modest transaction fees from the Art Rental program, and image-licensing services. Primary customer segments are Oberlin College students and faculty, with secondary segments in K-12 education, the broader Northeast Ohio community, alumni, and international institutional partners through exhibition loans.
Allen Memorial Art Museum firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Allen Memorial Art Museum
- Legal name
- Allen Memorial Art Museum
- Website
- https://amam.oberlin.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1917
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Allen Memorial Art Museum is an academic art museum at Oberlin College housing 15,000+ works spanning 6,000 years. Founded in 1917, it offers free admission, digital tools including the Allen App and augmented reality tours, and serves primarily Oberlin College students and faculty, with K-12, community, and international exhibition audiences.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Allen Memorial Art Museum industry classification
Industry- Product category
- College Art Museum
- NAICS
- Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Art Museums (THAJADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)
Keywords
Where Allen Memorial Art Museum is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oberlin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Allen Memorial Art Museum business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Museum Memberships: Annual memberships supporting the museum as 'Friend of Art' - provides recurring revenue from members, donors, and supporters
- Donations and Grants: Support from donors, Visiting Committee, and foundation grants including Andria Derstine Fund for Exhibitions, Freeman Foundation grants for K-12 outreach, Luce Foundation grants, and Kress Foundation grants
- Art Rental Program: Semester-based rental program allowing Oberlin students and community members to rent original works of art for display, began in 1940
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Others | Free General Admission |
| Unit Pricing | Others | Art Rental Program |
| Subscription | Annual | Museum Memberships |
| Other | Annual | Assistant Curator (Entry level) |
| Other | Annual | Associate Curator |
| Other | Others | Museum Safety Officer |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
Allen Memorial Art Museum product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College houses and interprets an encyclopedic collection of more than 15,000 works spanning 6,000 years of art history, offering free admission to the public plus structured programs for students, faculty, K-12 educators, and the wider community. Its principal offerings include rotating exhibitions, the Allen App (audio-visual self-guided tours), Allen Augmented Reality (3D virtual gallery access), a semester-based Art Rental program, public tours of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Weltzheimer/Johnson House, and curricular and community learning programming across 40+ academic disciplines.
Product overview
The Allen Memorial Art Museum operates as an academic art museum at Oberlin College, offering a unified experience combining in-person visits to its encyclopedic collection of over 15,000 works spanning 6,000 years of art history, with digital extensions including the Allen App (powered by STQRY), Allen Augmented Reality virtual tours, and educational programs such as the Art Rental program, Shared Art initiative, and docent-led tours. The museum also manages the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Weltzheimer/Johnson House. All services are free to the public.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Allen Memorial Art Museum (AMAM) — Gallery Visits and Permanent Collection The core museum institution offering free public gallery visits to more than 15,000 works of art spanning 6,000 years of cultural history, with notable strengths in African, ancient, American, Asian, European, and modern and contemporary art. Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 1-5pm. Serves Oberlin College students, faculty, K-12 educators, and the general public.
- Allen Augmented Reality (AAR) Virtual gallery experience enabling 3D views of artworks, object labels, and related content accessible online, allowing remote visitors to explore the museum virtually when they cannot attend in person.
- Allen App (powered by STQRY) Mobile-accessible audio-visual tour platform providing narrated tours, object labels, music, and additional interpretive content for self-guided museum visits on cell phones or devices.
- Art Rental Program Semester-based program allowing Oberlin College students and community members to rent original works of art for $5 per semester per work for display in their own spaces. Operational since 1940 with a digital e-journal connecting participants through reflections and photos.
- Weltzheimer/Johnson House Public Tours Public tours of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Usonian home built in 1947, operated by the Allen Memorial Art Museum. Offered on the first Sunday of each month from April through November, often selling out.
- Shared Art Program Student-led program launched in 2021 in which incoming first-year students engage with a single artwork selected by a committee, including orientation Block Party events and ongoing discussions throughout the semester.
- Tours & Group Visits Staff-facilitated programs including guided tours, group visits, and class visits for K-12 classes, college courses, and groups of 10 or more at the Allen Memorial Art Museum.
- Gallery Guide Student Employment Program Student positions providing paid professional museum experience leading tours and engaging with visitors at the Allen, creating a pipeline of future museum professionals.
- Image Licensing Service Service allowing reproduction rights for artworks in the Allen Memorial Art Museum collection for academic, commercial, and personal use.
- Museum Memberships Annual memberships supporting the museum as 'Friend of Art', providing recurring revenue from members, donors, and supporters who underwrite exhibitions, programs, and operations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 400+ class engagements annually representing 40+ disciplines
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Allen Memorial Art Museum
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Allen Memorial Art Museum technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
Allen Memorial Art Museum partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, supporting, major and core.
- Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU)strategicConsultants Julie Clarke and Elizabeth Voudouris from BVU guided the 2025 strategic plan refresh, engaging entire staff in developing goals for 2026-2028.
- Alpha Care (Lorain)supportingPartnership offering sensory-rich tours centering touch, sound, and inclusive engagement for disability-centered experiences. Includes 3D prints from Multiples and Modes of Access program.
- Centraal Museum (Utrecht) and Alte Pinakothek (Munich)supportingCo-organized exhibition featuring AMAM's Hendrick ter Brugghen painting 'Saint Sebastian Tended by Irene' (1625) as poster child for exhibition in Netherlands and Germany.
- FRONT International Cleveland TriennialmajorAMAM was presenting partner of FRONT International triennial founded by alumnus Fred Bidwell (OC '74). Organized installations in three Oberlin venues, with related programs extending through fall semester. Major regional cultural event connecting museum to broader Northeast Ohio arts scene.
- Great Lakes Colleges AssociationsupportingPartnered with DePauw University and College of Wooster through GLCA grant to launch 'Teach Visual' web portal for faculty and museum staff to share innovative teaching ideas.
- Japanese Museums (Three Venues)supporting200 ukiyo-e prints from Mary Ainsworth collection toured three Japanese museums in 2019, organized by Kevin Greenwood, Joan L. Danforth Curator of Asian Art.
- Cleveland Museum of ArtmajorPartnership during AMAM renovation - AMAM European holdings displayed at CMA for a year. Developed collaborative course for Oberlin College. Future directors Andria Derstine and Jon Seydl worked together on this collaboration as curators.
- Intermuseum Conservation Association (ICA)coreICA founded in 1952 on Oberlin College campus. Longstanding partnership for art conservation - paintings, textiles, works on paper, and objects. ICA has dedicated conservators providing standard-setting care and repair. AMAM registrar Lucille Stiger oversaw conservation logistics for 28 years.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Allen Memorial Art Museum competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Harvard Art Museums: Operates multiple museums serving Harvard University with deep academic integration and a renowned encyclopedic collection. Comparable to AMAM in mission, college-embedded model, and breadth of programming across disciplines.
- Colby College Museum of Art: Liberal arts college art museum with a growing collection and significant donor-funded expansion. Comparable to AMAM as a small college museum with strong academic integration and free admission.
- Williams College Museum of Art: Liberal arts college art museum with a notable collection, free admission, and deep integration with Williams College faculty and students. Comparable to AMAM in scale, mission, and academic integration at a small liberal arts college.
- Yale University Art Gallery: One of the oldest and largest university art museums in the U.S., with an encyclopedic collection serving Yale students, faculty, and the public. Highly comparable to AMAM as a college art museum with broad academic integration, free/low admission, and significant K-12 and community outreach.
- Wellesley College Davis Museum: Liberal arts college art museum with an encyclopedic collection designed by Rafael Moneo, free admission, and strong academic integration. Comparable to AMAM in scale, college-embedded mission, and community engagement.
- Smart Museum of Art (University of Chicago): University art museum with an encyclopedic collection, free admission, and strong academic integration at the University of Chicago. Comparable to AMAM in operating model, K-12 outreach, and college-embedded educational programs.
- Bowdoin College Museum of Art: College art museum serving Bowdoin College with a notable collection including ancient, European, and American art. Comparable to AMAM in scale, mission, and academic integration at a small liberal arts college.
- Krannert Art Museum (University of Illinois): University art museum with an encyclopedic collection, free admission, and strong academic integration. Directly comparable as AMAM's incoming director Jon Seydl previously led this museum; it provides a comp for institution type and operating model.
- Princeton University Art Museum: University art museum with a world-class collection spanning global cultures and periods, deeply integrated with Princeton's curriculum. Closely comparable to AMAM as a college art museum with strong academic engagement and public access programs.
- University of Michigan Museum of Art: Large university art museum with an encyclopedic collection, free admission, and broad academic and community engagement. Comparable to AMAM as a college art museum with strong educational programs and public access.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Allen Memorial Art Museum social profiles
Digital presenceAllen Memorial Art Museum compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Allen Memorial Art Museum financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Allen Memorial Art Museum leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Allen Memorial Art Museum subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Allen Memorial Art Museum funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Allen Memorial Art Museum 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 Allen Memorial Art Museum
What does Allen Memorial Art Museum do?
The Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College houses and interprets an encyclopedic collection of more than 15,000 works spanning 6,000 years of art history, offering free admission to the public plus structured programs for students, faculty, K-12 educators, and the wider community. Its principal offerings include rotating exhibitions, the Allen App (audio-visual self-guided tours), Allen Augmented Reality (3D virtual gallery access), a semester-based Art Rental program, public tours of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Weltzheimer/Johnson House, and curricular and community learning programming across 40+ academic disciplines.
Is Allen Memorial Art Museum a public or private company?
Allen Memorial Art Museum is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Allen Memorial Art Museum founded?
Allen Memorial Art Museum was founded in 1917. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Allen Memorial Art Museum based?
Allen Memorial Art Museum is headquartered in Oberlin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Allen Memorial Art Museum make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Museum Memberships are the primary driver. The others are donations and Grants and art Rental Program.
Who are Allen Memorial Art Museum's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Harvard Art Museums, Colby College Museum of Art, Williams College Museum of Art, Yale University Art Gallery, Wellesley College Davis Museum, Smart Museum of Art (University of Chicago), Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Krannert Art Museum (University of Illinois), Princeton University Art Museum and University of Michigan Museum of Art.
Does Allen Memorial Art Museum have an API?
No public API is recorded for Allen Memorial Art Museum.
What industry is Allen Memorial Art Museum in?
Allen Memorial Art Museum's product category is College Art Museum. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAA, Art Museums, with a secondary code of THAJADAH, Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit). Its NAICS code is 712110.