Bainbridge Island Museum of Art

What Bainbridge Island Museum of Art does

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) visual arts museum founded in 2013 and located in Bainbridge Island, Washington. The museum operates with free general admission and is funded almost entirely by members and donors, serving a regional visitor base of more than 100,000 people per year. Its core product is a curated exhibition program (e.g., Handwork 2026 and the Spring 2026 exhibition slate) anchored in a purpose-built physical museum facility.

BIMA's business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue stack rather than a transactional one. Income is generated through tiered memberships (ranging from $50 to $10,000), charitable donations, a museum store, an on-site bistro, summer art camps, and facility rentals for events. The organization employs 11-50 staff and is governed as a community-supported institution. Leadership is in transition as of February 2026 with Korum Bischoff serving as Interim Executive Director.

The institution functions as the primary regional visual arts venue on Bainbridge Island, with a programmatic cadence that combines traveling and curated exhibitions alongside education and hospitality services. There is no disclosed technology platform, digital product surface, or e-commerce-led growth channel; the museum's economic engine is physical foot traffic, donor cultivation, and on-site auxiliary sales.

Name

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art

Legal name

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art

Website

https://biartmuseum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) visual arts museum in Washington state, offering free admission funded primarily by members and donors, with tiered memberships from $50 to $10,000, a museum store, bistro, summer camps, and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art Museum Services

NAICS

Museums (71211), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Museums (THAJADAA)

Keywords

• Contemporary art museum
• Art education programs
• Community cultural center
• Museum membership program
• Exhibition curation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bainbridge Island

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership program with multiple tiers from $50-$10,000 providing crucial unrestricted support for museum operations. Funded almost 100% by members and donors.
2. Donations & Sponsorships: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and legacy society planned giving programs. Sponsors recognized on website and at events.
3. Museum Store & Bistro: On-site retail store selling art-inspired merchandise and bistro offering food service. Store open 10am-5pm daily, Bistro 10am-4pm daily.
4. Summer Camps & Education: Tuition-based summer camps for ages 6-11 including Storybook Studio, Creativity Lab, Mini Legends, Nature Makers, World Art & Cultures, and Amazing Animals.
5. Events & Venue Rental: Special events including BIMA Bash annual gala, Makers Market vendor fees, Block Party vendor fees, and venue rental opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA) operates a contemporary art and craft museum offering free general admission to rotating exhibitions focused on Puget Sound regional artists, housed in a 20,000 square foot LEED Gold building with seven galleries. Revenue-generating offerings include tiered memberships ($50-$10,000), tuition-based summer camps, the on-site Museum Store and BIMA Bistro, venue and event rentals, the annual BIMA Bash! gala, and educational programs for all ages.

Product overview

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA) is a non-profit art museum offering a unified portfolio of visitor-facing services centered around free admission to rotating contemporary art exhibitions. The core offerings include the physical museum with seven galleries and a 95-seat auditorium, the BIMA Bistro restaurant, and the Museum Store. Educational programming encompasses Summer Camps for youth (Storybook Studio, Creativity Lab, Mini Legends, Nature Makers, World Art & Cultures, Amazing Animals), Learning & Engagement programs for all ages including Creative Aging, and docent-led tours. BIMA's cultural programming includes the PRISM initiative featuring films, concerts, and artist talks; seasonal festivals like the Makers Market and BIMA Block Party; the annual BIMA Bash! gala; and community events like Treasure Trek. The membership program spans Individual to Founder Circle tiers with NARM/ROAM reciprocal benefits, while the volunteer program offers diverse engagement opportunities. The museum's digital presence includes online programming through YouTube and digital membership cards. The Cynthia Sears Artists' Books Collection represents a specialized permanent collection focus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BIMA Museum (Exhibitions & Galleries) A contemporary art museum offering free general admission to seven rotating galleries focused on Puget Sound region artists. Open 361 days per year from 10am-5pm daily. Includes the permanent collection and Artists' Books Collection.
• BIMA Bistro On-site restaurant operated by BIMA offering food service from 10am-4pm daily, with the ability to accommodate dietary restrictions with advance notice.
• BIMA Museum Store Retail store selling art-related merchandise, local artist works, and museum gift items. Open daily 10am-5pm with member discounts available. Online store at store.biartmuseum.org.
• Membership Program Tiered membership program with levels from $50-$10,000 annually including Individual ($60), Dual ($90), Family ($125), Patron ($175), Advocate ($250), Benefactor ($500-$1,499), and Circle tiers ($1,500-$10,000). Higher tiers include NARM and ROAM reciprocal admission to over 1,400 arts locations in 6 countries.
• Summer Camps Tuition-based art-focused summer camps for children ages 6-17 including Storybook Studio I & II, Creativity Lab, Mini Legends, Nature Makers, World Art & Cultures, and Amazing Animals. Led by certified arts educators with need-based scholarships available.
• Learning & Engagement Programs Educational programs including school field trips, Creative Aging programs for memory loss, docent-led tours, workshops, and art interpretation. Serves people of all ages and abilities.
• PRISM Cultural Programming Cultural programming initiative featuring live events including films, concerts, artist talks, community celebrations, and performances in the auditorium and galleries.
• Makers Market Five-day indoor craft market featuring handmade goods from Puget Sound region vendors, held annually in June in the First Floor Gallery. Vendors pay $35 application fee plus booth fees ($150 single day or $550 five days) and keep 100% of sales revenue.
• BIMA Block Party

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000+ annual visitors enjoy free admission
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Visit SeattleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVisit Seattle donated EnChroma glasses for guests with red-green color blindness, available in varying sizes including one designed to fit over prescription eyeglasses.
• Laird Norton Wealth ManagementminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCircle Program sponsor, providing support for BIMA's highest-level membership tier benefits.
• iTek EnergyminorOthersPartnered with Blue Frog Solar and APsystems to install 100 Washington-made solar panel modules on the museum roof with projected 28-kilowatt output.
• Blue Frog Solar / APsystemsminorOthersSolar panel installation partners providing rooftop solar array with 28-kilowatt capacity sufficient to put power back into the grid during summer months.
• Levi Strauss & Co.minorOthersDonated denim for use as recycled insulation in interior partition walls and some exterior walls as part of LEED Gold certification.
• Coates Design ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatthew Coates of Coates Design Architects designed the 20,000 square foot LEED Gold museum building featuring curved glass, automated louvers, and sustainable design.
• Suquamish FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-creator of Indigenous Craft exhibition and SaltFire nonprofit. Robin Little Wing Sigo, Foundation Director, co-curated the Indigenous Craft exhibition and facilitates cultural programming.
• Suquamish TribecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuseum-wide celebration The Abundance of Salalberries pədt'aqa honoring the Suquamish Tribe through art, fashion, and living cultural practice. Multiple events including curator-led tours, beadwork demonstrations, and panel discussions.
• SaltFireminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit co-founded by Robin Little Wing Sigo based in Indigenous joy, rest, and whimsy, partnering on cultural programming and exhibitions.
• NARM (North American Reciprocal Museums)coreOthersPatron level and above members receive reciprocal admission and discounts to over 1,400 arts and cultural locations in 6 countries.
• ROAM (Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums)coreOthersAdvocate level and above receive reciprocal benefits at participating museums nationally and internationally.
• Arts & Humanities BainbridgeminorOthersPreviously partner for programs manager. David Repyak is a 2-time grant recipient from Arts & Humanities Bainbridge.
• Bainbridge Community FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of summer camp programs. Community foundation supporting regional arts and cultural programming.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Frye Art Museum: Free-admission Seattle art museum of similar scale and operating philosophy. Comparable on free admission, regional emphasis, small staff, and membership-driven revenue model.
• Museum of Northwest Art (MoNA): Regional art museum in La Conner, WA focused on Northwest art. Most directly comparable peer given BIMA's Chief Curator Greg Robinson previously served as its executive director and the shared regional collecting focus.
• Wing Luke Museum: Seattle-based community museum with free/subsidized admission and strong education programming. Comparable on visitor experience, community-driven model, and small-team operating style.
• Whatcom Museum: Multi-site regional museum serving Bellingham and Whatcom County, WA. Comparable as a regional, multi-program community museum funded by members and donors, with a similar scale and programming breadth.
• Bellevue Arts Museum: Pacific Northwest museum with a craft-forward contemporary focus similar to BIMA's regional contemporary art and craft orientation. Comparable in program scope and size.
• Museum of Glass: Tacoma-based contemporary craft museum emphasizing handmade object-making. Closely comparable peer due to shared craft focus and Pacific Northwest market, despite more specialized glass medium.

Broad incumbents

• Tacoma Art Museum: Larger Pacific Northwest art museum with broader collecting scope. Operates in the same regional market as BIMA and competes for some donor and membership dollars, but serves a wider mandate.
• Seattle Art Museum: Major metro art museum in Seattle. Functions as the dominant regional incumbent that BIMA's ferry-accessible location effectively extends for day-tripping tourists. Comparable on visitor base and donor pool but vastly larger scale.
• Henry Art Gallery: Contemporary art museum at the University of Washington. Comparable on contemporary art focus and Pacific Northwest audience, with broader institutional backing and larger scale.

Regional players

• Pratt Fine Arts Center: Seattle arts education and studio organization previously led by BIMA's Chief Curator. Comparable on craft-education programming and Pacific Northwest arts ecosystem positioning, though not a collecting museum.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/biartmuseum
• Facebookfacebook.com/BainbridgeIslandMuseumofArt
• Instagraminstagram.com/bimuseum.of.art
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bainbridge-island-museum-of-art

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Bainbridge Island Museum of Art