Huntington Museum of Art

What Huntington Museum of Art does

Huntington Museum of Art (HMA) is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit visual art museum located at 2033 McCoy Road in Huntington, West Virginia, incorporated in 1947 and opened to the public in 1952 by founder Herbert Fitzpatrick on 52 acres of donated land. The institution operates a permanent collection of more than 16,000 objects spanning American, Asian, Haitian, European, Inuit, and Near Eastern art, displayed across ten exhibition spaces, and maintains the James D. Francis Art Library (~28,500 volumes), the C. Fred Edwards Conservatory (West Virginia's only plant conservatory), a 287-seat auditorium, five studio workshops, and over 40 acres of maintained hiking trails including a quarter-mile paved Sensory Trail. It is the only nationally accredited visual art museum of its size in the Tri-State region (West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky), with a facility designed in part by Bauhaus architect Walter Gropius.

HMA generates revenue from a diversified mix of earned and contributed streams: $5 general admission (free on Tuesdays via the City of Huntington Mayor's Council for the Arts), tiered annual memberships from $25 to $10,000+ with reciprocal ASTC/NARM benefits, fees for ceramics, painting, drawing, and bookmaking classes ($15–$440) and summer camps, an on-site Museum Store, photography/facility rental fees, and event-driven fundraising including the annual Museum Ball and Hilltop Book Fair. Customers span general public visitors from all 50 states and international tourists, K-12 school groups from the Tri-State region served through the Museum Making Connections outreach program, families participating in Saturday KidsArt and summer camps, adult art students, and tiered members. Distribution is anchored by the physical campus supplemented by online registration, a museum store website (hmoastore.com), and the HMoA at Home virtual programming channel.

The institution is led by Executive Director Elizabeth "Liz" Simmons (since September 16, 2024), with a staff of approximately 35 organized across education, curatorial, development, conservatory, facilities, finance, and public relations functions. Strategic partnerships include Marshall University, the West Virginia Commission on the Arts, the Booth Foundation (Walter Gropius Master Artist Series), Marshall Health Network, Hoops Family Children's Hospital, and OCLC. The museum was reaccredited by the American Alliance of Museums in April 2025, designated a Blue Star Museum in 2025, and refreshed its brand with a new logo designed by West Virginia artist Don Pendleton in October 2025.

Name

Huntington Museum of Art

Legal name

Huntington Museum of Art

Website

https://hmoa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Huntington Museum of Art is a non-profit, American Alliance of Museums–accredited visual art museum in Huntington, West Virginia, serving general public visitors, K-12 schools, and families across the Tri-State region through a 16,000-object permanent collection, art classes, summer camps, a plant conservatory, and over 40 acres of nature trails.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art Museum & Cultural Services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums (71211), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Museums (THAJADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)

Keywords

• Art museum services
• Visual arts education
• Cultural exhibitions
• Art classes workshops
• Nature conservatory

Headquarters

HQ city

Huntington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. General Admission: HMA charges $5 general admission per adult. Admission is free to children younger than 18, HMA Members, active-duty military and their families, and veterans and their families.
2. Membership Program: Annual membership with various tiers from $25 to $10,000+, providing benefits including free admission, discounts, reciprocal admission to other museums, and other perks.
3. Donations: One-time and sustaining donations accepted, with Free Tuesdays sponsored by City of Huntington Mayor's Council for the Arts.
4. Classes and Workshops: Fees for ceramics, painting, drawing, bookmaking classes ranging from $15 per session to $440 for multi-week camps.
5. Museum Store: On-site gift shop offering art-related merchandise, books, and specialty items.
6. Special Events: Annual Museum Ball fundraiser, block parties, and other special events that generate revenue.
7. Hilltop Book Fair: Annual book fair fundraiser with admission fees and book sales.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Huntington Museum of Art operates as a nationally accredited visual art museum in Huntington, West Virginia, offering permanent and rotating exhibitions across American, Asian, Haitian, European, Inuit, and Near Eastern collections. It also runs art education programs (classes, camps, workshops), West Virginia's only plant conservatory, an art reference library, and over 40 acres of nature trails. The museum is supported by admissions, memberships, donations, classes, a museum store, and special events.

Product overview

Huntington Museum of Art operates as a nationally accredited visual art museum offering a diverse portfolio of products and services organized around its three-part mission of art, education, and nature. The core offerings include rotating and permanent art exhibitions spanning American, Asian, Haitian, European, Inuit, and Near Eastern collections; the C. Fred Edwards Conservatory (West Virginia's only plant conservatory); over 40 acres of nature trails; and the James D. Francis Art Library. Educational products include classes and workshops (ceramics, painting, drawing, bookmaking), summer camps for children, Saturday KidsArt (free weekly program), the Walter Gropius Master Artist Workshop series, Museum Making Connections outreach program, and guided tours for schools and adults. Additional services include the Museum Store, HMoA at Home virtual content, Members' Magazine, and special events including the annual Museum Ball and Hilltop Book Fair. The museum operates a tiered membership program with reciprocal benefits at hundreds of science centers and museums worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Art Exhibitions Rotating and permanent exhibitions showcasing art collections including American art, Asian art, Haitian art, European art, Inuit art, Near Eastern art, decorative arts, firearms, and special traveling exhibits.
• C. Fred Edwards Conservatory West Virginia's only plant conservatory featuring tropical and subtropical plants, Dale Chihuly glass sculptures, and a living collection of hundreds of plant species. Open to museum visitors.
• Summer Camps Camps for children including Clay Camp, Art Camp, Pitter Patter Art Camp, Young Explorers, STEAM Camp, Nature Camp, and The Art of Reading and Writing programs for various age groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves thousands of patrons annually from all 50 states and internationally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• West Virginia Commission on the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished in 1967, works with artists, arts organizations, schools, and community groups to foster artistic, cultural, educational and economic development in West Virginia. Provides funding and support for HMA programs.
• Marshall UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIncludes Birke Art Gallery and Charles W. and Norma C. Carroll Gallery partnerships. Marshall Artist Series features events for community and students. College of Arts and Media sponsors Museum Making Connections.
• Huntington Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit association of business and professional people working together to improve Cabell and Wayne County area.
• Huntington Area Convention & Visitors BureauminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides visitor information and promotes tourism in the Huntington region.
• The Clay CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated in Charleston, WV. Combines art museum with performing arts center and interactive science center.
• Paramount Arts CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated in Ashland, KY. Offers variety of performances for the region.
• Hoops Family Children's HospitalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Saturday KidsArt program providing free weekly art activities for children in kindergarten through fifth grade.
• Marshall Health NetworkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of annual Museum Ball, the museum's biggest fundraising event.
• City of Huntington Mayor's Council for the ArtscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGenerously presents Free Tuesdays at HMA, providing free admission every Tuesday.
• West Virginia Department of TourismminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Hilltop Book Fair through West Virginia Fairs & Festivals grant program.
• Truist West Virginia FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of Portfolio student exhibit.
• Arch Coal, Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Museum Making Connections programs.
• American Orchid SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association providing support and resources for the C. Fred Edwards Conservatory.
• American Public Garden AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation supporting public gardens, relevant to the plant conservatory operations.
• West Virginia Nursery & Landscaping AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation supporting nursery and landscaping industry, relevant to plant conservatory.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Speed Art Museum: Kentucky's flagship art museum in Louisville, operating a comparable mix of permanent collection, exhibitions, education programs, and membership. Comparable scale and mission as a state/regional visual arts anchor.
• Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College: Small college-affiliated art museum in Lynchburg, VA with American art focus, education programming, and free admission. Comparable small/mid-scale regional art museum with collection-driven exhibitions.
• Krannert Art Museum: University-affiliated art museum at the University of Illinois with comparable K-12 outreach, exhibitions, and educational programming. Comparable mid-sized academic/regional art museum model.

Broad incumbents

• Cincinnati Art Museum: Larger general art museum in Cincinnati, OH — within HMA's broader catchment — offering free general admission, a permanent collection, and K-12 programming. Provides a benchmark for how a Tri-State art museum operates at greater scale.
• Virginia Museum of Fine Arts: State-supported art museum in Richmond with permanent collection, education programs, and free general admission. Comparable broad art museum serving an Appalachian/adjacent regional population with similar education-outreach emphasis.
• Columbus Museum of Art: Mid-sized Ohio art museum with comparable programming including classes, camps, family programs, and a permanent collection. Comparable operating model and member-based revenue structure within HMA's broader region.
• Carnegie Museum of Art: Pittsburgh-based art museum with permanent collection, exhibitions, and education programming, serving a similar post-industrial regional market. Comparable broad-spectrum art museum with K-12 and member-driven revenue model.

Others

• West Virginia University Libraries – WVRHC: West Virginia Regional History and Culture collection at WVU, providing archival and historical research support to the same regional audience. Thematically adjacent as a cultural/heritage resource serving overlapping West Virginia constituents.

Regional players

• Paramount Arts Center: Ashland, KY-based performing arts venue and named HMA partner. Adjacent cultural institution serving the same Tri-State catchment but focused on performing rather than visual arts.
• The Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences: Charleston, WV-based arts and sciences complex combining an art museum, performing arts center, and interactive science center. Already a named HMA partner; the closest in-mission regional peer combining visual art with broader cultural programming in West Virginia.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubem.youtube.com/user/HuntingtonMuseum
• Facebookfacebook.com/huntingtonmuseumofart
• Instagraminstagram.com/huntingtonmuseumofart
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/huntington-museum-of-art

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Huntington Museum of Art