What Park City Museum does

Park City Museum is a private nonprofit cultural institution founded in 1981 (originally as the Park City Historical Society) and headquartered in Park City, Utah. It operates across three owned locations: the main museum housed in the historic 1885 City Hall at 528 Main Street, the Education & Collections Center at 2079 Sidewinder Drive (opened 2017), and Glenwood Cemetery at 401 Silver King Drive (acquired 2016, on the National Historic Register). The museum is governed by a 14-member Board of Trustees and staffed by approximately 10 personnel including an Executive Director, Curator of Collections & Exhibits, Director of Education, Research Coordinator, Development Manager, Retail Manager, and Collections Assistant. It is led by Executive Director Morgan Pierce.

The museum's core offerings center on preserving and presenting Park City's transition from a silver mining town (1868) to a ski resort destination. Permanent exhibits cover the Mega Mine, Territorial Jail (The Dungeon), Skier Subway Theater, Muckers & Millionaires, and Living in Park City. The Tozer Gallery hosts traveling exhibitions from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. Supporting programs include self-guided and group guided museum tours, summer walking tours (Main Street, Glenwood Cemetery, Park Avenue), private guided tours, the History Speaks monthly lecture series, school field trips (Pre-K through 12) with traveling trunks, youth group tours, off-site history presentations, and the annual Historic Home Tour. Research services are anchored by the Hal Compton Research Library (800+ non-circulating works), an archival collection of nearly 30,000 historic images sold via SmugMug, oral histories, and the 'Way We Were' weekly column in the Park Record newspaper. The Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History volunteer committee, formed in 2015, has raised over $4 million to preserve 11 historic mine structures on Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley land.

The business model combines earned and contributed revenue streams. Earned revenue includes tiered admissions ($15 adults / $11 seniors-students-military / free for children under 18 and members), four-tier memberships ($55 Individual, $100 Friends & Family, $350 Museum Guild, $2,000 Charter), walking tours at $15-$20 per person, research services at $25/hour after a free first half-hour, event venue rentals, holiday ornament retail, and historic photograph sales. Contributed revenue includes tax-deductible donations, corporate sponsorships ($600 per lecture, $400 per school bus), multi-year gift plans, and grants from Summit County RAP Tax, the Park City Chamber of Commerce Sustainable Tourism Grant, Vail Resorts Epic Promise Foundation, and the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation. Annual visitation exceeds 130,000, anchored by Park City's tourism economy and the museum's consistent listing as a Top Ten Park City attraction in national and international travel guides.

Name

Park City Museum

Legal name

Park City Museum

Website

https://parkcityhistory.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Park City Museum is a nonprofit cultural institution in Park City, Utah that preserves and presents the city's silver mining and ski town heritage through exhibitions, walking tours, school programs, and research services across three owned historic sites.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Museum and Cultural Heritage Services

NAICS

Museums (71211), Historical Sites (71212), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

History Museums (THAJADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Historic Preservation & Landmarks Conservation (BPAGAHAE), Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Monuments, Statues & Memorials (THAJACAB)

Keywords

• Historical museum services
• Cultural heritage preservation
• Educational tours
• Archival research services
• Community history programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Park City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission: Admission fees charged to visitors with tiered pricing based on age and membership status. Adults $15, Seniors/Students/Military $11, Children under 18 free, Members free.
2. Membership Program: Four-tier membership program providing free admission and benefits including quarterly newsletter, event invitations, discounts, and exclusive gatherings. Individual $55, Friends & Family $100, Museum Guild $350, Charter Member $2,000.
3. Walking Tours and Special Tours: Guided walking tours including Main Street ($15/person), Glenwood Cemetery ($15/person), Park Avenue tours ($15/person), and private tours ($20/person with $240 minimum).
4. Event Hosting: Venue rentals for private and corporate events at the Museum and Education & Collections Center. Evening events from 5pm-10pm with deposit and security requirements.
5. Historic Photographs Sales: Sale of historic photographs and digital images for prints and media use through the Research Library.
6. Museum Store and Merchandise: Retail sales of museum merchandise including annual holiday ornaments featuring Park City history themes.
7. History Presentations: Off-site history presentations at $200 per presentation covering topics like Park City history, mining industry, and skiing transition.
8. Donations and Sponsorships: Tax-deductible donations, corporate matching gifts, multiple-year gift plans, and sponsorships for lectures ($600), school field trips, and Historic Home Tour.
9. Research Services: Fee-based research services at $25/hour after first half-hour free. Copy charges at $0.10 per page.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Park City Museum operates a historic site museum and cultural heritage complex that preserves, protects, and promotes the history of Park City, Utah, through permanent and traveling exhibitions, guided walking tours, K-12 and youth education programs, a research library with archival and photographic collections, oral histories, lecture series, membership programs, retail merchandise, and event hosting. Operations are anchored in the 1885 historic City Hall building and supported by the Education & Collections Center and the Glenwood Cemetery historic site.

Product overview

Park City Museum operates as a multi-faceted cultural institution offering a unified portfolio of historical preservation, education, and community engagement services. The museum's core offerings center on permanent and traveling exhibitions documenting Park City's transformation from silver mining town (1868) to ski resort destination, housed in the historic 1885 City Hall building. Visitor services include self-guided and guided tours (Main Street Walking Tours, Glenwood Cemetery Tours, Park Avenue Tours), while educational programming encompasses school field trips, youth group tours, outreach programs with Traveling Trunks, and the History Speaks lecture series at the Education & Collections Center. Research services feature the Hal Compton Research Library, archival collections, historic photograph sales via SmugMug, and oral history recording. Annual signature events include the Historic Home Tour and Glenwood Cemetery tours with costumed re-enactors. The museum supports preservation initiatives including Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History (preserving 11 historic mine structures) and Glenwood Cemetery stewardship. Membership programs range from Individual ($55) to Charter Member ($2,000) tiers, with retail merchandise including annual holiday ornaments. The 2017-opened Education & Collections Center (2079 Sidewinder Drive) serves as lecture venue and climate-controlled storage for 30,000+ collection items.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Museum Admission and Self-Guided Tours Self-guided museum admission allowing visitors to explore permanent exhibitions on Park City's silver mining and skiing history, including a passenger train car exhibit and introductory video about the city's beginnings. Open daily 10am-5pm with tiered pricing for adults, seniors, students, military, and free entry for children under 18 and museum members.
• Guided Group Museum Tours Docent-led guided tours lasting approximately one hour, available with one month advance reservation for groups, priced at $20 per person with a $240 minimum.
• Main Street Walking Tours Outdoor guided tours of Park City's Historic Main Street exploring architecture and stories from the mining to skiing eras, offered Monday-Friday June-September at 2pm for $15 per person.
• Glenwood Cemetery Walking Tours Historic walking tours of the 1885 Glenwood Cemetery located at 401 Silver King Drive, offered Tuesdays, Thursdays, and select Mondays and Saturdays for $15 per person.
• Park Avenue Walking Tours Guided tours exploring Park Avenue residents, architecture, and community churches and businesses, offered select dates at $15 per person.
• Private Guided Tours Private walking tours of Main Street, Glenwood Cemetery, or Park Avenue for groups of 12 or more at $20 per person or $240 minimum group rate.
• School Programs and Field Trips Free educational programs for school groups including Pre-K/Kindergarten, Elementary, Grades 4-7 Utah History, and Grades 8-12 Science and Technology programs, offered Spring (March-June) and Fall (September-November) with curriculum-aligned content.
• Outreach Programs and Traveling Trunks Museum outreach into schools with Traveling Trunks containing lesson plans, activities, and historic objects, available during September, October, May, and June.
• Youth Group Tours Free admission tours for youth groups including scout troops and after-school programs, scheduled with three weeks advance notice.
• History Presentations Off-site historic photo PowerPoint presentations on topics including History of Park City, Mining Industry, and Park City Turns to Skiing, offered at a $200 starting rate for approximately one hour.
• History Speaks Lecture Series Free monthly lecture series at the Education & Collections Center featuring historians, authors, curators, panel discussions, live public radio broadcasts, and musical performances.
• Hal Compton Research Library Research library on the lower museum level offering access to Park City and Western history books, personal papers, maps, and thousands of historic photographs by appointment only, with first half hour of research assistance free and additional research services at $25 per hour.
• Archival Collections Access Access to unique archival materials including letters, receipts, postcards, brochures, and ledgers available to researchers by supervised appointment.
• Historic Photographs and Digital Galleries Collection of nearly 30,000 historic images available via SmugMug online galleries organized by subject (Everyday Life, Skiing, Mining, Buildings), with prints and digital images available for purchase.
• Oral Histories Program Recording and transcription of community residents' memories, with interviews preserved in the Hal Compton Research Library and an index available for research use.
• Permanent Exhibits Permanent exhibitions covering Park City's history from silver mining to skiing, including exhibits on Mega Mine, Territorial Jail (The Dungeon), Skier Subway Theater, Muckers & Millionaires, and Living in Park City.
• Tozer Gallery Traveling Exhibits Over 1,000 square feet of gallery space showcasing children's and guest-curated national traveling exhibitions from the Smithsonian and other institutions, renewed throughout the year.
• Historic Home Tour Annual one-day event showcasing Park City's most beautiful historic homes, typically held in June with tickets available for purchase via Eventbrite.
• Private Event Hosting Event venue rental at Park City Museum or Education & Collections Center for private and corporate events, including furnishings, A/V equipment, and catering coordination.
• Museum Memberships Tax-deductible membership tiers including Individual ($55), Friends & Family ($100), Museum Guild ($350), and Charter Member ($2,000) with benefits such as free admission, event invitations, store discounts, and exclusive gatherings.
• Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History Preservation Volunteer committee raising funds to preserve and restore Park City's historic mine structures including Silver King Coalition, Thaynes Mine, and Daly West, having raised over $4 million since 2015 in partnership with Park City Mountain Resort, Deer Valley Resort, and Epic Promise (Vail Resorts Foundation).
• Glenwood Cemetery Preservation and Visitation Five-acre historic cemetery established in 1885 with approximately 900 burials, acquired by Park City Museum in 2016, featuring annual costumed re-enactor tours and headstone restoration program. Open for walk-in visitation daily from dawn to dusk.
• Holiday Ornaments Collection Annual collectible holiday ornaments featuring Park City history themes, designed by local artist Peg Bodell, available for purchase at the Museum Store.
• Way We Were Article Series Weekly historical articles published in the Park Record newspaper since the 1980s, written by Museum staff, volunteers, and interns, serving as valuable research and engagement tools.
• Collection Donation Program Program accepting historic objects, photographs, and archival materials related to Park City and Western Summit County history, with rigorous review process and deed of gift requirements.
• Volunteer Program Volunteer opportunities including Museum Tour Guide, School Tour Docent, Walking Tour Docent, Gallery Guide, Collections Assistant, and Way We Were Contributing Writer.

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Park City Chamber of CommercecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSustainable Tourism Grant recipient supporting Historic Home Tour event. Collaborative marketing and tourism promotion.
• Park City Mountain ResortcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in preserving mining structures on resort property including Silver King Coalition Mine, Thaynes Mine, and other historic buildings visible from ski runs and trails.
• Deer Valley ResortcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in preservation of mining structures including Daly West headframe at base of Empire chairlift and Alliance Mine buildings.
• Utah HumanitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to bring Smithsonian traveling exhibition 'The Way We Worked' to the museum.
• StantecminorOthersEngineering and consulting firm providing professional services for mining structure stabilization and restoration projects.
• Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvider of traveling exhibitions including 'Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and WWII', 'Dolores Huerta: Revolution in the Fields', and others for Tozer Gallery.
• Friends of Ski Mountain Mining HistorycoreOthersAll-volunteer committee of the Park City Museum formed in 2015 to preserve historic mining structures. Has raised over $4 million for stabilization and restoration.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Telluride Historical Museum: Telluride Historical Museum preserves the mining and ski heritage of Telluride, Colorado in a historic building, offering exhibits, walking tours, school programs, and membership. Closely comparable in mission, building-as-anchor strategy, and program mix.
• Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum: Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum preserves mining and ski history in a Colorado mountain town with exhibits, walking tours, and community programming. A small-team peer with a very similar size and revenue model.
• Breckenridge Heritage Alliance: Breckenridge Heritage Alliance runs multiple historic sites, walking tours, and museum programs in another Colorado mining-to-ski town. Operates a very similar multi-site, tour-driven, education-funded model.
• Aspen Historical Society: Aspen Historical Society operates the Wheeler/Stallard Museum and Aspen Heritage Center in a Colorado ski town, preserving mining-to-ski heritage. Highly comparable as a peer ski-town history museum with a similar membership, tours, and education model.
• National Mining Hall of Fame & Museum: National Mining Hall of Fame & Museum in Leadville, Colorado is a dedicated mining heritage institution with exhibits and educational programs. Directly comparable in mining heritage focus, though larger in national scope than Park City Museum's local lens.

Others

• Park City Mountain Resort (Vail Resorts): Park City Mountain Resort (operated by Vail Resorts) is the primary tourism draw and a strategic preservation partner for mining structures on its land. Ecosystem partner rather than competitor, but central to Park City Museum's visitor flow.
• Deer Valley Resort: Deer Valley Resort hosts Daly West headframe and other preserved mining structures on its ski terrain in partnership with the museum. A strategic ecosystem partner, not a direct competitor, but shapes museum visitation and tourism seasonality.

Broad incumbents

• Natural History Museum of Utah: Natural History Museum of Utah is the state's flagship natural history museum in Salt Lake City with a far larger budget, building, and staff. Comparable as a Utah museum peer with school programs and Smithsonian-class exhibitions, but operates at materially greater scale.
• Utah State Historical Society: Utah State Historical Society operates state-level history programs, archives, and exhibits. Comparable in preservation and research mission, but as a state entity it has broader scope, government backing, and different funding model than Park City Museum.

Regional players

• Summit County Library (Kimball Junction Branch): Summit County Library serves the same local market with research, genealogy, and community programming including Park City/Western Summit County local history collections. Not a museum, but a regional peer for local history research services and community education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdVRZNeaBrGXCGILlOYw47Q
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/park-city-museum-office

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Park City Museum