Museum of Art and Design

What Museum of Art and Design does

The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) is a New York-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit art museum founded in 1956 by Aileen Osborn Webb (originally as the Museum of Contemporary Crafts). It operates from a 54,000-square-foot facility at 2 Columbus Circle — the Jerome and Simona Chazen Building, designed by Brad Cloepfil of Allied Works Architecture — and serves more than 250,000 annual visitors. MAD's core offering is contemporary exhibitions, educational programming, and artist residencies across craft, art, design, architecture, fashion, technology, and performing arts. Its distinctive asset is the Artist Studios program on Floor 6, the only Open Studio program in New York, and the Tiffany & Co. Foundation Jewelry Gallery, the only American museum gallery dedicated to contemporary and modern studio and art jewelry.

MAD generates revenue through a diversified nonprofit mix: museum admissions, recurring annual memberships (currently 8,000, tripled since the 2008 Columbus Circle opening), individual donations and annual fund contributions, corporate and foundation grants (Windgate Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Tiffany & Co. Foundation), facility rentals for events and film shoots, an annual MAD About Jewelry benefit sale, and a $50,000 biannual Burke Prize program. The Store at MAD (e-commerce and on-site retail) and the on-site Robert restaurant provide additional commercial channels. Programming spans exhibitions (e.g., Haas Brothers: Uncanny Valley through Aug 2026), artist residencies and fellowships ($15,000 stipends for the MAD Artist Fellowship), family and teen workshops, school group visits, and signature benefit events.

The museum's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, using public exhibitions, the open-studio model, and signature annual events (MAD Ball, MAD About Jewelry) as primary acquisition channels. Distribution is anchored by the physical Columbus Circle location, supplemented by global e-commerce through The Store at MAD and outreach through social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), email newsletters, and educational programs. There are no disclosed M&A activities, funding rounds, or technology products; MAD operates as an independent nonprofit with no parent company.

Name

Museum of Art and Design

Legal name

Museum of Arts and Design

Website

https://madmuseum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Museum of Arts and Design is a New York-based nonprofit art museum at 2 Columbus Circle that presents contemporary exhibitions, operates the city's only open artist-studio program, and runs residencies, education, and retail for visitors, members, and collectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art Museum Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums (712110), Art Dealers (459920), Office Supplies, Stationery, and Gift Retailers (4594)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

General Arts & Crafts Supplies Retail (CRALACAA)

Keywords

• Contemporary art museum
• Art and craft exhibitions
• Artist residency programs
• Art education programs
• Museum membership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Museum Admissions: Ticket sales for museum admission to exhibitions and special programs
2. Memberships: Annual membership programs offering unlimited admission, special access events like MAD Mornings, and member-only programming
3. Retail - The Store at MAD: Award-winning retail arm selling craft, design, and jewelry, with proceeds supporting artists and the museum
4. Donations and Annual Fund: Individual donations, corporate support, foundation grants, and annual fund contributions
5. Space Rentals: Facility rental for events, film shoots, and private functions in museum spaces
6. MAD About Jewelry: Annual benefit celebration and sale featuring contemporary jewelry artists, with proceeds supporting participating artists and museum educational programs
7. Burke Prize Application Processing: Biannual prize program selecting emerging artists working in glass, fiber, clay, metal, or wood; winner receives $50,000 unrestricted award

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MAD operates a contemporary art, craft, and design museum at 2 Columbus Circle, NYC, presenting temporary exhibitions across craft disciplines (glass, fiber, clay, metal, wood, jewelry) alongside an Open Studio artist residency program, hands-on educational workshops for adults, families, teens, and schools, and an award-winning retail store and restaurant. Earned revenue is generated through admissions, memberships, tuition-bearing educational programs, retail and dining sales, event/space rentals, and signature benefits like MAD About Jewelry and the Burke Prize, supported by an annual fund and foundation grants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Burke Prize: Biannual contemporary art prize for artists working in glass, fiber, clay, metal, or wood, with $50,000 unrestricted award and Corning Museum of Glass residency
• MAD About Jewelry
• MAD Artist Studios
• MAD Artist Fellowship

Products and services

• Museum Admission and Exhibitions Ticketed public admissions to ongoing and temporary exhibitions of contemporary art, craft, and design at the Jerome and Simona Chazen Building, including current shows such as Haas Brothers: Uncanny Valley, Jessica Lichtenstein: Rewilding, Alice Riehl's Porcelain Florilegium, and OUT of the Jewelry Box. Targeted at general public visitors, members, school groups, and design enthusiasts.
• MAD Memberships Annual recurring memberships offering unlimited admission, member-only programming, early access to exhibitions, and exclusive events such as MAD Mornings. Membership has grown to 8,000 members since the 2008 Columbus Circle opening. Targeted at repeat museum visitors seeking ongoing access and benefits.
• The Store at MAD Award-winning retail arm of MAD selling craft, design, jewelry, and art items both online at thestore.madmuseum.org and on-site at the museum. All purchases support artists represented by the museum. Targeted at design-conscious consumers, gift buyers, and visitors seeking artist-made objects.
• Robert at MAD Restaurant On-site fine dining restaurant serving contemporary American fare for lunch, brunch, and dinner. Operated by Robert (robertnyc.com), serving museum visitors and the general public.
• MAD Artist Studios Residency Program The only New York museum Open Studio residency program, hosting contemporary artists and designers in on-site studios open to the public weekly. Includes Burke Residents and Artist Residents (six-month residencies) with stipends (Artist Resident minimum $5,200 plus $500 materials stipend; Burke Resident $15,000 plus $1,000). 200+ artists and designers have advanced through the program since 2008. Targeted at emerging contemporary artists and designers working in craft media.
• MAD Artist Fellowship Fellowship program supporting emerging NYC-based artists from historically underrepresented communities, providing professional development, public open studio hours, and stipend support. Targeted at underrepresented contemporary artists based in New York City.
• Burke Prize Biannual $50,000 unrestricted cash award recognizing exceptional emerging artists age 45 or under working in glass, fiber, clay, metal, or wood with foundation in the American studio craft movement. Open-call application via [email protected]; winner also receives a Burke Residency at The Studio of The Corning Museum of Glass. Targeted at emerging craft artists aged 45 or under.
• MAD About Jewelry Annual curated benefit celebration and sale of contemporary jewelry, featuring visionary creators from more than 20 countries (e.g., 45 creators featured in MAD About Jewelry 2026). Proceeds support participating artists and the museum's educational programs. Honorees have included Patricia Field (2024), Lisa 'Lele' Sadoughi (2024), and Frank Everett of Sotheby's (2025). Targeted at jewelry collectors, enthusiasts, and patrons.
• MAD Space Rentals / Facilities Rental Rental of museum spaces at 2 Columbus Circle for private events, film shoots, and corporate functions, leveraging the landmark Jerome and Simona Chazen Building designed by Brad Cloepfil. Targeted at event planners, corporate clients, and film/TV producers.
• MAD Education Programs (Workshops, Classes, Family & Teen Programs) Educational programming including master classes, seminars, workshops, family workshops (e.g., Whimsical Puppet Creatures, Mandarin-language Meet the Monsters!), teen programs (ArtsLab: Crafting World Cup Trading Cards), talk series (AIGA NY), virtual verbal description tours for accessibility, K-12 school group visits facilitated by paid artist-educators, and multilingual programming. Targeted at families, teens, K-12 students, adult learners, and school groups.

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• American Craft CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical relationship; after 1986, the Museum and Council were established as independent organizations. Detailed records of exhibition history (1953-1990) are held in the Council Library and Archives
• The Studio of The Corning Museum of GlasscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBurke Residency offering one Burke Prize artist a one-month to five-week residency with all benefits and opportunities awarded to artists selected for The Studio's Artist-in-Residence program
• Robert (Restaurant)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRobert restaurant operates within MAD, open for lunch, brunch, and dinner serving contemporary American fare; complements the museum experience
• Patricia FieldminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFashion visionary and costume designer (Academy Award nominee, Emmy Award winner) honored at MAD About Jewelry 2024 benefit preview
• Lisa 'Lele' SadoughiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAccessories designer honored at MAD About Jewelry 2024; launched first ever J. Crew costume jewelry collection
• Frank Everett (Sotheby's)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerVice Chairman, Jewelry Americas, Sotheby's honored at MAD About Jewelry 2025 as benefit preview honoree

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum: NYC-based museum focused on design and decorative arts; comparable to MAD as a similarly sized, mission-driven cultural institution focused on applied/decorative creative disciplines rather than fine art.
• Renwick Gallery (Smithsonian American Art Museum): Smithsonian gallery dedicated to American craft and decorative arts; directly comparable curatorial scope and mission centered on craft and making.
• Museum of Glass (Tacoma): Craft-focused museum with active artist residency program; comparable in operating model and craft-discipline focus though regionally distinct.
• Corning Museum of Glass: Craft-focused museum with an artist residency program; an actual Burke Prize partner of MAD, sharing audience, programming model, and craft-discipline focus (glass, fiber, clay, metal, wood).
• Rubin Museum of Art: Mid-sized NYC museum with comparable footprint, membership model, and reliance on donations and admissions; competes for similar NYC cultural audiences.
• American Craft Council: National craft organization historically affiliated with MAD (split into independent entities in 1986); directly comparable mission around American craft and contemporary makers.

Broad incumbents

• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): Larger NYC institution that competes for contemporary art and design visitors and members; sets the benchmark for retail, programming, and donor cultivation in the city.
• Brooklyn Museum: Larger NYC museum that has exhibited MAD Artist Studios alumni; competes for NYC cultural audiences, members, and corporate donors at greater scale.

Emerging players

• Bellevue Arts Museum: Smaller craft and design-focused museum; comparable curatorial lens on contemporary craft and making, with similar membership and retail-driven revenue model.

Others

• Museum of Arts and Design (Online / Store at MAD): The e-commerce arm of MAD itself; relevant as a retail benchmark for museum-affiliated craft/jewelry e-commerce compared to peers like MoMA Design Store and the Met Store.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/madmuseum
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MADMuseum
• Facebookfacebook.com/MADMuseum
• Instagraminstagram.com/madmuseum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Museum of Art and Design