Museum of Science Fiction

What Museum of Science Fiction does

The Museum of Science Fiction is a Virginia-incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 by Executive Director Greg Viggiano, PhD, with the stated mission of creating the first comprehensive science fiction museum. The organization operates from Alexandria, Virginia, with a planned permanent facility in Washington, DC beginning with a 3,000-square-foot modular Preview Museum. Its product portfolio spans a Steam-hosted VR Museum with voice command features, native iOS and Android mobile apps, the annual Escape Velocity STEAM-and-sci-fi convention, the peer-reviewed Journal of Science Fiction (published with University of Maryland Libraries), the CESK Anthology on women in science fiction, recurring design competitions (architectural, VR, CubeSat, costume, prop replica), and a quarterly DC Lecture Series co-presented with K&L Gates and the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation.

The organization is funded through a mix of seven-tiered memberships ($100 to $25,000), individual and corporate donations (processed via Stripe and PayPal), crowdfunding campaigns on Kickstarter and Indiegogo, grants (including BAE Systems for VR and quantum computing in 2022), publication sales through Amazon and the University of Maryland platform, and convention ticket and vendor revenue. It serves science fiction enthusiasts, K-12 and higher-education students and teachers, families, and academic researchers, and supports this audience through educational programs aligned with Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards.

Key institutional partnerships include a Space Act Agreement with NASA (2015), the CubeSat Competition with Cornell University's Space Systems Design Studio (announced at White House Astronomy Night 2015), and historical media collaborations with Science Channel, Disney's Tomorrowland, and Boeing. The organization operates without parent-company control, has no disclosed institutional investment, and relies on a 14-person executive team supported by a long-standing volunteer base (38 original volunteers in 2013).

Name

Museum of Science Fiction

Legal name

Museum of Science Fiction Incorporated

Website

https://museumofsciencefiction.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Museum of Science Fiction is a Virginia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 building the first comprehensive science fiction museum, serving enthusiasts, students, and educators through a VR Museum on Steam, the annual Escape Velocity convention, scholarly publications, and design competitions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural and Educational Museum Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)

Keywords

• Science fiction museum
• STEAM education programs
• Virtual reality exhibits
• Museum membership programs
• Scholarly journal publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals and organizations supporting the museum's educational mission as a 501c(3) nonprofit organization.
2. Membership Programs: Multi-tiered membership program with seven levels ranging from $100 Ground Crew to $25,000 Command Staff, providing member benefits including exclusive access, events, and merchandise.
3. Event Revenue: Revenue from Escape Velocity convention including attendance fees, vendor participation, and special event access.
4. Publication Sales: Sales of publications including CESK Anthology, Journal of Science Fiction, and other educational materials.
5. Grant Funding: Grant awards from organizations such as BAE Systems for specific projects including VR and quantum computing initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Museum of Science Fiction is building the world's first comprehensive science fiction museum through physical exhibits, a virtual reality experience, an annual convention, educational programs, and publications. It operates as a 501c(3) nonprofit offering a Preview Museum (planned 3,000-square-foot modular facility), a VR Museum on Steam, the Escape Velocity convention, the Journal of Science Fiction scholarly publication, the CESK Anthology, mobile apps, and STEAM-aligned educational programs for students and teachers.

Product overview

The Museum of Science Fiction is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization building the world's first comprehensive science fiction museum. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected products and programs: the Preview Museum (a 3,000 sq ft mobile prototype), the VR Museum (a Steam-hosted virtual reality experience with voice command capabilities), the annual Escape Velocity Convention (a STEAM-focused sci-fi convention), the Journal of Science Fiction (scholarly academic publication), the CESK Anthology (women in sci-fi anthology), mobile apps (iOS/Android), design competitions (architectural, VR, costume, CubeSat, etc.), educational programs aligned with standards, and the DC Lecture Series. The museum also plans seven permanent galleries covering science fiction themes from creators and worlds to technology and robots.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Escape Velocity: Annual STEAM and Science Fiction convention hosted by the Museum of Science Fiction, featuring panels, workshops, and educational programming at the intersection of science fiction and real-world science.
• Catalysts, Explorers & Secret Keepers: Women of Science Fiction
• Journal of Science Fiction
• VR Museum

Products and services

• VR Museum (Virtual Reality Museum) A Virtual Reality museum experience hosted on the Steam platform, featuring voice command capabilities and immersive VR environments that allow global visitors to explore science fiction themes and museum exhibits in an interactive digital setting.
• Escape Velocity Convention An annual STEAM and Science Fiction convention held at the Marriott Gaylord at National Harbor in Washington, DC, combining science and sci-fi through panels, lectures, guest speakers, vendor participation, and educational programming. Topics include space exploration, AI, robotics, and the intersection of science fiction with real-world science.
• Journal of Science Fiction A scholarly journal published in partnership with University of Maryland Libraries Publishing, covering academic research on science fiction across multiple volumes and issues, distributed through the Publish IQ platform.
• CESK Anthology (Catalysts, Explorers & Secret Keepers: Women of Science Fiction) A take-home museum exhibit anthology celebrating women in science fiction as authors, readers, and characters, featuring 19 stories curated by Museum staff with cover art by Hugo award-winning artist Julie Dillon. Available in hardback, paperback, and e-book formats on Amazon.
• MOSF Mobile App Native mobile application available for iOS and Android devices providing access to museum information, exhibits, and interactive features.
• DC Lecture Series Quarterly in-person lecture series in partnership with K&L Gates and the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation covering topics such as water on Mars, the US Space Force, AI and cognitive computing, asteroid mining, commercial space travel, and robotics. Held at the K&L Gates Washington, DC office with limited seating (80 people); free for members, $10 for non-members, $5 for live stream.
• Landscapes of Dying Worlds Art Book A Science Fiction Art Book announced via Kickstarter, expanding the museum's art and publication offerings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Annual Escape Velocity convention attracting thousands of attendees with panels on science, technology, and science fiction
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Kurt Kuhn / Kuhn CollectionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2019Master model collection donation including hundreds of studio-scale models and props from Star Wars and other productions.
• BoeingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 March 2018Boeing participated in Escape Velocity 2018 with lecture on how science fiction inspired exploration achievements.
• K&L GatescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 January 2018Partnership with K&L Gates law firm for quarterly DC Lecture Series covering space, AI, and commercial space travel topics at their Washington, DC office.
• Arthur C. Clarke FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 January 2018Co-presenter of quarterly lecture series alongside K&L Gates focusing on science fiction themes and real-world science.
• Heroic AleworksminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 July 2017Partnership with Virginia brewery for themed events and product collaborations.
• Cornell UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 October 2015CubeSat Competition partnership with Cornell's Space Systems Design Studio, announced during White House Astronomy Night. Students design and build CubeSat spacecraft concepts.
• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2015NASA signed Space Act Agreement with the museum. NASA also partnered for CubeSat Competition announced during White House Astronomy Night 2015, involving Cornell University and multiple universities.
• National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 May 2015Collaboration to present nanotechnology and 3D printing panels at Awesome Con.
• Disney TomorrowlandminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 April 2015Collaboration with Disney's Tomorrowland film to search for visions of the future and promote the museum.
• NASA Goddard Space Flight CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2015NASA built the Virtual Museum of Science Fiction; ongoing collaboration including Eclipse Soundscapes project and CubeSat competition.
• University of North Carolina (UNC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2015UNC costume production students created Dune stillsuits and replicated famous sci-fi movie costumes for museum exhibits.
• DreamHostminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2015DreamHost upgraded Star Wars Minecraft Server for informal learning programs.
• OMNI MagazinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2014Partnership with OMNI Magazine reboot initiative, featuring classic science fiction art and articles from the original publication.
• Science ChannelcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 February 2014Exclusive media partner for the Museum of Science Fiction, providing media coverage and promotional support for museum initiatives and events.
• 501st LegionminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 November 2013Star Wars cosplay organization partnership for promotional events including Guinness World Record attempt at U.S. Capitol.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Science Museum (London): Established science and technology museum in London covering the history and future of science and technology. While broader in scope than the Museum of Science Fiction, it serves as a benchmark for science-themed museum operations, educational programming, and STEAM-focused visitor experiences — directly comparable as a science museum competitor for STEAM-curious family and school audiences.
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum: Major New York-based museum covering sea, air, and space exploration with strong educational programming and immersive exhibits. Comparable as a specialty museum operator with permanent and temporary exhibits, membership tiers, and STEAM education programs serving families and school groups.
• The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation: Michigan-based museum celebrating American innovation, technology, and culture. Comparable as a science-and-innovation focused museum operator with strong STEAM education programming and school field trip partnerships, competing for similar educational tourism audiences.
• New York Hall of Science: Hands-on science and technology museum in NYC with strong STEAM focus and design competition heritage. Comparable as a science-education museum operator with school programming and interactive exhibits that serve the same STEAM-curious student and family audience.
• Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex: NASA-affiliated visitor complex offering immersive space exploration experiences. Directly comparable as a STEAM-focused destination with deep NASA partnership, school programming, and immersive exhibit technology — the museum's NASA partnerships (Space Act Agreement, CubeSat) mirror this operating model.
• Children's Museum of Indianapolis: One of the largest children's museums globally, with immersive science, technology, and culture exhibits. Comparable as a family-oriented, education-driven museum operator with school programming and recurring exhibits, competing for the same K-12 audience and family membership dollars.
• Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: Premier US aerospace museum in Washington DC, directly competing for the same DC-area school field trips, family visitation, and STEAM-curious audiences that the Museum of Science Fiction targets. Highly relevant geographic peer given proximity and overlapping STEAM-education mission.

Direct peers

• Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP): Seattle-based museum (formerly EMP Museum) dedicated to contemporary popular culture including science fiction, fantasy, music, and gaming. The most direct peer — a specialty museum focused on pop-culture genres including science fiction, with comparable exhibit, education, and event programming models.

Regional players

• San Diego Comic-Con: Premier pop-culture convention including extensive science fiction programming. Comparable as a recurring event-driven fan engagement model — directly competes with the Escape Velocity convention for science fiction enthusiast attendance and sponsorship dollars.

Emerging players

• Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (Disney): Immersive themed sci-fi experience at Disney parks. While not a museum, it competes for science fiction enthusiast discretionary spend and family visitation with strong immersive technology — comparable as an experiential destination for science fiction fans.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/museum_scifi
• Facebookfacebook.com/452413264838843
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/museum-of-science-fiction

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Museum of Science Fiction