The National Mustard Museum

What The National Mustard Museum does

The National Mustard Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (EIN #27-4810858) operating from 7477 Hubbard Ave, Middleton, Wisconsin. Founded in 1992 by Barry Levenson, it maintains the world's largest collection of mustards and mustard memorabilia and offers free admission to the general public, drawing thousands of visitors annually as one of Wisconsin's most popular tourist attractions. The museum's core offering is a physical cultural collection rather than a technology platform, with all digital touchpoints limited to a WordPress-based website and a separate for-profit e-commerce storefront.

The organization's products and programs include the National Mustard Day street festival (first Saturday in August), the World-Wide Mustard Competition (an annual international contest with 18 categories), the Mustard Mosaic restaurant partnership program (July-August), and museum-produced retail items such as 'The Art of Mustard' book and the 'Please Pass the Mustard' board game. Revenue is generated through donations, event sponsorships, and select museum-produced merchandise; the primary gift shop and general online store operate under a separate for-profit entity, MustardMuseum.com LLC, which provides financial and operational support to the nonprofit.

The customer base is broad and undifferentiated, consisting of families, tourists, and mustard enthusiasts of all ages, with no enterprise or B2B channels. Marketing is driven by community events, restaurant partnerships, an email newsletter, and word-of-mouth. The organization is supported by a network of recurring sponsors including French's Mustard, G.S. Dunn Dry Mustard Millers, Mustard 21, the Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission, and various local Wisconsin food and beverage brands. With 8 employees and no disclosed financials, the museum operates as a small, program-driven nonprofit rather than a growth-stage commercial enterprise.

Name

The National Mustard Museum

Legal name

The National Mustard Museum Inc.

Website

https://mustardmuseum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The National Mustard Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit in Middleton, Wisconsin, housing the world's largest collection of mustards and mustard memorabilia. It serves families, tourists, and mustard enthusiasts through free admission, the annual National Mustard Day festival, the World-Wide Mustard Competition, and the Mustard Mosaic restaurant program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Food Museum / Cultural Heritage Institution

NAICS

Museums (712110)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural History Museums (THAJADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

Keywords

• Food history museum
• Condiment memorabilia
• Specialty food gifts
• Culinary collectibles
• Cultural heritage exhibits

Headquarters

HQ city

Middleton

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 Contributions: As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (EIN #27-4810858), the museum relies on tax-deductible donations from supporters. Donations are used for rent, utilities, acquisitions, maintenance, staffing, marketing & promotion, and capital improvements.
2. Museum Merchandise Sales: Sales of museum-produced items such as The Art of Mustard book and the Please Pass the Mustard board game directly benefit the nonprofit museum. The separate for-profit MustardMuseum.com LLC runs the general gift shop and online store.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The National Mustard Museum is a nonprofit 501(c)3 museum in Middleton, Wisconsin that houses the world's largest collection of mustards, mustard containers, and mustard memorabilia, offering free admission to visitors. It operates an online gift shop (via a separate for-profit entity) selling mustard-themed merchandise and branded retail products, and hosts recurring programs including National Mustard Day, the World-Wide Mustard Competition, and the Mustard Mosaic restaurant partnership.

Product overview

The National Mustard Museum is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization operating as America's favorite condiment museum in Middleton, Wisconsin. The museum maintains the world's largest collection of mustards and mustard memorabilia with free admission. The museum operates several programs: the physical museum attraction, the World-Wide Mustard Competition (an annual global mustard judging competition with 18 categories), National Mustard Day (an annual August street festival), and Mustard Mosaic (a July-August restaurant partnership event). Revenue-generating products include an online gift shop operated by for-profit entity MustardMuseum.com LLC, museum-produced publications like 'The Art of Mustard' book, and the 'Please Pass the Mustard' board game. The museum relies on donations and program proceeds for operations since admission is free.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MustardMuseum.com LLC: The separate for-profit entity that runs the Mustard Museum gift shop and online store.

Products and services

• The National Mustard Museum (museum visit experience) Free-admission museum visit in Middleton, Wisconsin featuring the world's largest collection of mustards, mustard containers, and mustard memorabilia; intended for general public visitors, tourists, families, and educational groups.
• Online Gift Shop E-commerce storefront operated via a separate for-profit entity selling mustard-themed merchandise, branded gifts, and specialty food items to consumers nationwide.
• National Mustard Day Annual on-site festival held at the museum, sponsored by consumer brands, drawing mustard enthusiasts and the general public for celebration, tastings, and mustard-themed activities.
• World-Wide Mustard Competition Annual international mustard competition organized by the museum, open to mustard producers and enthusiasts worldwide to submit and judge entries.
• Mustard Mosaic Restaurant partnership program in which participating restaurants feature mustard-themed menu items in conjunction with the museum's programming.
• The Art of Mustard Branded book published in association with the museum, covering the history, culture, and culinary role of mustard; sold through the gift shop and other retail channels.
• Please Pass the Mustard Branded board game developed in association with the museum, sold through the gift shop as a mustard-themed consumer product.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered major co-sponsor, minor, flagship and core.

• G.S. Dunn Dry Mustard Millersmajor co-sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor co-sponsor of the World-Wide Mustard Competition, helping ensure the competition remains the ultimate annual challenge for mustardmakers around the globe.
• Mustard 21major co-sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor co-sponsor of the World-Wide Mustard Competition.
• Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commissionmajor co-sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor co-sponsor supporting the World-Wide Mustard Competition and international mustard makers.
• Cabot CreameryminorOthersIn-kind supporter of the World-Wide Mustard Competition.
• Carnegie DeliminorOthersIn-kind supporter of the World-Wide Mustard Competition.
• KabobsminorOthersIn-kind supporter of the World-Wide Mustard Competition.
• Westminster Bakers Co.minorOthersIn-kind supporter of the World-Wide Mustard Competition.
• French's MustardflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsor of National Mustard Day, providing the French's Music Stage and mascot appearances. Key sponsor enabling the annual free festival.
• Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Co.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCreator of the signature Razzle Dazzle Mustard Ice Cream featured at National Mustard Day and Mustard Mosaic.
• Plochman'scoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMustard Maker sponsor at National Mustard Day events.
• Hubbard Avenue DinercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor offering Pie Walks and local dining partnership during National Mustard Day.
• Jones Dairy FarmminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of National Mustard Day event.
• Usinger's Famous SausageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSausage sponsor for National Mustard Day.
• Miggy's BakesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMustard Mosaic partner featuring Mustard Buttercream Brownies during July-August 2026.
• Telsaan TeaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMustard Mosaic partner featuring Mustard Tisanes herbal tea blends in Mt Horeb, WI.
• State Line DistilleryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMustard Mosaic partner featuring a mustard seed cocktail creation in Madison, WI.
• Hidden Cave CideryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMustard Mosaic partner featuring cider and mustard pairing in Middleton, WI.
• Longtable Beer CafeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMustard Mosaic partner featuring deviled egg trio made with Sweet & Nicely Hot mustard in Middleton, WI.
• MustardMuseum.com LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeparate for-profit entity that runs the Mustard Museum gift shop and online store. Actively supports the nonprofit National Mustard Museum through financial and operational support. Prior to February 2011, this was the original combined for-profit business.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Potato Museum: Specialty food museum dedicated to a single commodity (the potato). Highly comparable niche single-subject museum model with donation/funding reliance.
• Burlingame Museum of PEZ Memorabilia: Niche single-product museum (PEZ dispensers) operating on free admission and donations. Directly comparable small-team, collection-driven, donation-funded specialty museum model.
• Crayola Experience: Branded, experience-driven attraction centered on a single consumer product (Crayola crayons), combining exhibits, retail, and ticketed experiences. Compares on the branded-attraction business model.
• International Vinegar Museum: Specialty museum dedicated to vinegar — another condiment category. Directly comparable single-condiment museum concept.
• SPAM Museum: Free-admission specialty food museum in Austin, Minnesota dedicated to a single branded food product (SPAM). Highly comparable niche food-museum model with donation/sponsorship-driven funding.
• The Jell-O Gallery: Free specialty museum in Le Roy, New York dedicated to a single branded food product (Jell-O). Closely comparable niche CPG-anchored museum concept.
• Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD): New York-based nonprofit food museum focused on exhibits, education, and programming about food culture. Comparable mission of food-themed public education and exhibits.

Broad incumbents

• Hershey's Chocolate World: Major food-brand visitor attraction operated by Hershey. Comparable as a large-scale, food-themed destination combining exhibits, retail, and brand immersion, though at significantly greater scale and corporate backing.

Regional players

• House on the Rock: Iconic Wisconsin tourist attraction featuring eclectic collections and exhibits. Comparable as a long-running Wisconsin destination whose appeal rests on unique collections and themed galleries.
• Betty Brinn Children's Museum: Wisconsin-based nonprofit children's museum offering free or low-cost educational exhibits. Comparable as a Wisconsin nonprofit museum relying on donations, sponsorships, and educational programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-national-mustard-museum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The National Mustard Museum