Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum

What Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum does

The Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum is a single-artist museum located on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University in University Center, Michigan, dedicated to preserving and presenting the work of sculptor Marshall M. Fredericks (1908–1998). It opened as a gallery in May 1988 and was elevated to museum status in 1999 following Fredericks's death and the donation of his remaining tools, equipment, and archives. The institution houses over 200 permanent works in its Main Exhibit Gallery, the reconstructed Royal Oak Sculptor's Studio, and the Jo Anne and Donald Petersen Sculpture Garden (added 2013), supported by 2,400+ collection items and 200 linear feet of archival material. It serves over 20,000 school children and visitors annually and offers free admission.

Core products are organized across three platforms: physical galleries (Main Exhibit Gallery, Sculptor's Studio, Sculpture Garden, two temporary exhibition spaces), digital infrastructure (the Virtual Museum site, Bloomberg Connects Digital Guide app, Omeka digital archive, Google Art Project integration, and Matterport virtual tours), and educational programs (K-12 school tours, summer art camp, Artist in Residence, Kids Discover Art Day, and Graduate Fellowship). Rotating temporary exhibitions run 2-3 per year; a travel-ready exhibition ("Sketches to Sculptures, Rendered Reality") is available for rental to other museums.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit with diversified revenue streams: annual fundraising of more than $600,000 through individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors processed via the SVSU Foundation (TIN 38-6085447); tiered Patron-to-Leader sponsorships from $100 to $10,000; limited-edition bronze sculpture sales priced from $10,000 to $25,000; venue rental for corporate events and weddings with Aramark as exclusive caterer; traveling exhibition rental at $5,000 per booking; a museum store and online boutique; and project grants from IMLS, NEA, and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. Pricing is anchored on free public admission with monetization through philanthropy, premium products, events, and scholarly services (archives research at $25/hour after a free 30-minute consultation).

Name

Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum

Legal name

Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum

Website

https://marshallfredericks.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum is a free, AAM-accredited nonprofit museum on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan, dedicated to preserving the legacy of sculptor Marshall M. Fredericks. It serves 20,000+ annual visitors through permanent galleries, rotating exhibitions, K-12 educational programs, and digital platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art Museum and Cultural Heritage Institution

NAICS

Museums (71211), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Museums (THAJADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF), Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions (THAJACAH)

Keywords

• Sculpture museum exhibitions
• Art education programs
• Cultural heritage preservation
• Museum venue rental
• Limited edition bronzes

Headquarters

HQ city

Saginaw

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The museum raises over $600,000 annually through individual donations, foundation grants, and corporate sponsorships. Gifts are processed through Saginaw Valley State University Foundation with TIN 38-6085447.
2. Membership Program: Patrons who gift $100+ receive benefits including exhibition previews, museum discounts, 10% store discount, NARM membership benefits, and invitations. Multiple sponsorship levels from $100 to $10,000 Leader tier.
3. Museum Store and Boutique: Online boutique sales through The Shop@MFSM including merchandise and event tickets/registration.
4. Bronze Sculpture Sales: Sale of limited edition bronze castings of Marshall Fredericks' sculptures at prices ranging from $10,000 to $25,000, with proceeds supporting the museum.
5. Traveling Exhibition Rental: Rental of traveling exhibition 'Sketches to Sculptures, Rendered Reality' for $5,000 plus transportation and insurance, with $461,100 insurance value.
6. Museum Rental: Venue rental for corporate events, meetings, luncheons, dinners, weddings with varying rates based on event type, non-profit status, guest count, and duration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum is a single-artist museum that preserves, exhibits, and interprets the works of sculptor Marshall M. Fredericks (1908-1998) through free public access to its permanent galleries, rotating temporary exhibitions, outdoor sculpture garden, educational programs, digital archives, and ancillary services including venue rental, sculpture sales, and traveling exhibitions.

Product overview

The Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum is a single-artist museum dedicated to preserving and presenting the works of sculptor Marshall M. Fredericks (1908-1998). The museum operates as a unified cultural institution combining permanent collection galleries (Main Exhibit Gallery with 200+ works, Sculptor's Studio, Jo Anne and Donald Petersen Sculpture Garden), rotating temporary exhibitions, digital platforms (Virtual Museum website, Bloomberg Connects Digital Guide, Omeka Digital Archive), and comprehensive educational programming (school tours, summer art camp, Artist in Residence). The institution also offers ancillary services including museum rental, sculpture sales, traveling exhibitions, and patron membership. Key products include the Main Exhibit Gallery, Sculpture Garden, Sculptor's Studio, Educational Programs, Virtual Museum, Digital Museum Guide, Online Objects Collection, Archives and Research, and various tour and camp offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum (Main Museum) A free public museum featuring over 200 sculptures spanning Marshall Fredericks' 70-year career, along with rotating temporary exhibitions from artists worldwide, located on Saginaw Valley State University campus.
• Main Exhibit Gallery The permanent gallery displaying over 200 works including plaster molds and bronze castings that span Fredericks' career, many of which were installed by Fredericks himself.
• Jo Anne and Donald Petersen Sculpture Garden An outdoor destination featuring bronze sculptures and botanical beds with water features including the Day and Night Fountain and Otter Pool, open to visitors for reflection, relaxation, and socializing.
• Sculptor's Studio Gallery representing Fredericks' Royal Oak studio, displaying clay models, armatures, molds, tools, and machinery from his workspace, including footage of the casting of Lord Byron.
• Temporary Exhibitions Rotating exhibitions featuring 2-3 temporary shows annually by Michigan, national, and international artists, including the Regional Biennial Juried Sculpture Exhibition.
• Digital Museum Guide (Bloomberg Connects) Free mobile app providing access to permanent galleries, temporary exhibitions, and educational content through Bloomberg Connects platform, with accessibility features including font size adjustment, captions, image zoom, written and audio transcripts, and voice over.
• Online Objects Collection (Digital Archive) Digital archive powered by Omeka containing over 5,000 digitized photographs from the Marshall M. Fredericks collection, project drawings, and archival records accessible at omeka.svsu.edu.
• Educational Programs Comprehensive K-12 education including tours, mini lesson plans, hands-on art activities, parent/teacher resources, and offsite programs like Art in Community and teleconference experiences.
• K-12 School Tours Experiential learning tours for all grades including Main Exhibit Gallery, Sculptor's Studio, temporary exhibitions, and optional art activities, with both in-person and virtual options available.
• Guided Tours One-hour guided tours including Main Exhibit Gallery, Sculptor's Studio, Sculpture Garden, and temporary exhibitions, available by appointment.
• Summer Art Camp Week-long youth art camps for ages 8-18 teaching sculpting, painting, drawing, and other art styles. 2026 sessions: June 22-26 (ages 8-10), July 6-10 (ages 11-13), July 20-24 (ages 14-18).
• Traveling Exhibition (Sketches to Sculptures) Rental exhibition featuring 30 bronze sculptures, 2 bronze reliefs, archival reproductions of 35 drawings. Rental fee $5,000 plus transportation and insurance. Requires approximately 275 linear feet of wall space and 3,000 sq. ft.
• Museum Rental (Venue Rental) Facility rental for corporate events, meetings, luncheons, dinners, weddings, and social events. Includes professional staff, exclusive caterer (Aramark), audiovisual services, and gallery tours.
• Sculpture Sales (Limited Edition Bronzes) Sale of limited-edition bronze castings of popular Fredericks sculptures including Two Bears ($25,000), Boy and Bear ($15,000), The Thinker ($12,000), and Siberian Ram ($10,000), with proceeds supporting the museum.
• Museum Patrons Membership Patron program for gifts of $100+ offering preview of exhibition openings, discounts on programs, 10% museum store discount, and NARM benefits at nearly 1,000 North American cultural attractions.
• Public Art Passport Online portal (publicartpassport.com) featuring 360-degree views of public art across Michigan's Great Lakes Bay Region including Saginaw, Midland, and Bay City.
• Archives and Research Services Research facility housing 200 linear feet of materials including correspondence, project files, photographs, clippings, drawings, awards, and memorabilia spanning 1928-1998. Open to researchers by appointment with free initial 30-minute consultation and $25/hour research fee.
• Artist in Residence Program Program bringing professional visual artists to create experiences for university students and the public, enabling interaction with contemporary living artists.
• Graduate Fellowship Program Fellowship program for graduate students to engage with archival research and museum studies at marshallfredericks.org/ffr/.
• Museum Store and Boutique (The Shop@MFSM) Online and on-site boutique sales of merchandise including apparel, surfboards, event tickets, and registration through The Shop@MFSM.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20,000 school children and visitors served annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe museum is publicly supported as an important asset of SVSU. Located on SVSU campus in the Arbury Fine Arts Center. University provides infrastructure, administrative support, and student population for educational programs. The museum serves SVSU's strategic goals around community engagement and academic excellence.
• Girl Scout Heart of Michigan CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative programs offering Girl Scout Badges at Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Senior, Cadette, and Ambassador levels year-round at the museum.
• AramarkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive caterer for museum events, providing food, beverages, and alcohol for corporate events, weddings, and private rentals.
• Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Services (Stars)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublic transit route 9 serves SVSU campus and Kochville/S. Bay area, dropping off at Ryder Center, improving museum accessibility for public visitors.
• Bay Metro TransitminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublic transit route 4 serves SVSU campus and surrounding areas including Westshore Estates, W.S. Saginaw Rd, Delta, Mackinaw Rd, and Auburn, improving museum accessibility.
• Cranbrook Educational CommunityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarshall Fredericks studied with Carl Milles at Cranbrook Academy of Art. Historical partnership - Fredericks taught at Kingswood School at Cranbrook in the 1930s before enlisting in 1942.
• Meijer Gardens and Sculpture ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor sculpture garden in Grand Rapids, Michigan houses numerous works by Marshall Fredericks including Two Bears, Boy and Bear, and Siberian Ram.
• Brookgreen GardensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistinguished sculpture garden in Pawleys Island, South Carolina houses works by Marshall Fredericks including Two Bears.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Cranbrook Art Museum: Michigan-based art museum connected to Cranbrook Academy of Art (where Fredericks studied under Carl Milles). Comparable as a Michigan-based fine-arts museum with strong educational affiliations.
• The Frick Collection: New York-based art museum with permanent collection, archives, and educational programming. Comparable as an AAM-accredited museum with curated permanent galleries, member/donor programming, and digital guides.
• The Studio Museum in Harlem: NYC museum dedicated to works by artists of African descent with artist-in-residence program. Comparable as a single-mission museum with archives, residency programs, K-12 outreach, and rotating exhibitions.
• Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park: Major Michigan-based sculpture park and garden housing significant Fredericks works. Comparable as a sculpture-focused cultural institution in the same regional catchment that mixes indoor galleries with an outdoor sculpture garden.

Regional players

• Brookgreen Gardens: South Carolina sculpture garden and historic site housing multiple Fredericks works including 'Two Bears.' Comparable as a partner institution displaying Fredericks sculpture within a broader sculpture garden context.

Direct peers

• Isamu Noguchi Museum: Single-artist sculpture museum in Long Island City, NY dedicated to the works of Isamu Noguchi. Closely comparable in mission: preserving the complete studio, archives, and sculpture output of one 20th-century American sculptor with educational programming.
• Andy Warhol Museum: Pittsburgh-based single-artist museum covering the full body of work of Andy Warhol. Comparable as an AAM-accredited, single-artist museum with archives, educational programming, and ticketed/free public visitation.
• Norman Rockwell Museum: Stockbridge, MA museum dedicated to Norman Rockwell, housing the largest collection of his original art and archives. Comparable as a single-artist museum with extensive archives, educational programs, and rotating exhibitions.
• Corning Museum of Glass: Specialty art museum in Corning, NY dedicated to a single medium (glass), with archives, artist-in-residence programs, and educational offerings. Comparable as a specialty single-discipline museum with strong educational programming.
• The Rodin Museum: Philadelphia museum dedicated to sculptor Auguste Rodin, housing the largest collection of his works outside Paris. Highly comparable as a single-sculptor museum with permanent collection, sculpture garden, and ticketed/walk-in visitation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/marshallfredericks
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFF7F77BE786719E2
• Facebookfacebook.com/MarshallMFredericksSculptureMuseum
• Instagraminstagram.com/marshallfredericks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mfsm

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum