What The Grace Museum Inc does

The Grace Museum Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural institution headquartered in Abilene, Texas, operating from the historic 1909 Hotel Grace building at 102 Cypress Street, a 55,000-square-foot restored landmark that opened as The Grace Cultural Center in 1992 and was renamed The Grace Museum in 1998. The institution curates and exhibits American fine art with Texas connections (more than 2,500 works), regional and Texas history (more than 12,000 objects including the T&P Railway archive), and operates the Alice & Bill Wright Photography Collection (780+ photographs from 260+ photographers). It is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and supplements exhibitions with extensive education and outreach programs for K-12 schools, homeschoolers, and the public.

In 2025-2026 the museum expanded into a second location, the Spark Science Center at Abilene Heritage Square, which delivers 100+ interactive STEAM exhibits in biology, chemistry, engineering, physics, and astronomy. The Grace Museum also runs Spark Downtown, an interactive children's space on the second floor of the historic building, alongside a tiered membership program (Individual through Emerald), an event-venue rental business across six spaces, Grace Academy summer camps (art, science, culinary), History Traveling Trunks and Science in a Suitcase classroom outreach, and a retail gift shop. Revenue is generated through admissions, memberships, event rentals, gift shop sales, program fees, and — critically — tax-deductible donations and grants from a broad base of regional foundations (Dodge Jones, Dian Graves Owen, Still Water, Union Pacific, Abell-Hanger, Meadows, Moody, Mabee), corporate sponsors, and federal/state arts and humanities agencies (NEA, NEH, Texas Commission on the Arts, Humanities Texas). The institution operates a horizontal segmentation model targeting families, K-12 educators, college students, members, event hosts, and seniors in the Abilene and broader West Texas market.

Name

The Grace Museum Inc

Legal name

The Grace Museum

Website

https://thegracemuseum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Grace Museum Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Abilene, Texas operating an AAM-accredited art and history museum in the historic 1909 Hotel Grace building plus the Spark Science Center at Abilene Heritage Square, serving West Texas families, K-12 schools, event hosts, and members with exhibitions, STEAM programming, memberships, and venue rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Museum and Education Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Museums (THAJADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

History Museums (THAJADAB), Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD), Children’s Museums (THAJADAE), Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Educational & Edutainment Parks (Science/Discovery/Children’s Parks) (THAJAEAG)

Keywords

• Art museum exhibitions
• History museum collections
• Science education programs
• Community cultural events
• Museum membership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Abilene

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission Fees: General admission fees charged for entry to The Grace Museum and Spark Science Center. Adults $10, Children/Seniors $7, School Groups $5. Combo same-day admission available for $20 adults/$10 children. Active duty military receive half price. Members and children under 4 free.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership tiers providing unlimited admission to both locations plus discounts on camps/classes, 10% gift shop discount, invitations to events, 2 free guest passes, and annual Artifacts magazine subscription. Tiers range from Individual ($50) to Emerald ($2,500). Los Aficionados volunteer group membership at $30.
3. Event Venue Rentals: Six rental spaces available seven days a week. Premium 2-day wedding packages $3,000-$4,200. Friday/Saturday one-day rentals $2,000-$3,200. Weekday hourly rentals $150/hour. Sunday rentals $200/hour. Children's birthday parties $250-$300.
4. Educational Programs and Camps: Fee-based programs including Tot Spot ($7), Homeschool Art Days ($7), Mix It Up! Art + Science classes ($5), and Grace Academy summer camps ranging from $75-$200 depending on camp type and duration. Member discounts of $25 off all camps.
5. Gift Shop Sales: The Grace Gift Shop offers souvenirs including adult gifts, children's toys, Grace souvenirs, t-shirts, arts & crafts supplies, books and puzzles. 10% discount for members.
6. Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible donations accepted. Sponsorship opportunities for exhibitions and programs. Planned giving through the museum or Community Foundation of Abilene's Leave 5 program. Collectors Circle patronage at $2,200 for table of 8 or $275 individual tickets.
7. Reciprocal Membership Benefits: Explorer level and above members receive NARM and ASTC Passport Program reciprocal benefits providing free or discounted admission to 1,400+ museums and 350+ science centers across North America.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Grace Museum Inc operates a dual-location cultural institution offering art exhibitions, history exhibitions, and science education experiences. The primary location houses art galleries, history displays, and interactive Spark Downtown children's spaces, while the Spark Science Center provides 100+ STEAM-focused interactive exhibits. The museum also generates revenue through admissions, memberships, event venue rentals, gift shop sales, educational programs (camps, classes, tours), and outreach programs.

Product overview

The Grace Museum Inc operates as a dual-location museum complex offering art, history, and science education experiences. The primary location, The Grace Museum, is housed in the historic 1909 Hotel Grace building in downtown Abilene, featuring art galleries, history exhibitions, and the Spark Downtown interactive children's space. The second location, Spark Science Center at Abilene Heritage Square, provides STEAM-focused experiences with 100+ interactive exhibits. The organization offers supplementary products including gift shop, event venue rentals, Grace Academy summer camps, educational programs (Tot Spot, Homeschool Art Days, Mix It Up!, school tours), outreach programs (History Traveling Trunks, Science in a Suitcase), and a tiered membership program with reciprocal benefits through NARM and ASTC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Spark: Exploratory space for children and families with interactive learning stations, including 30+ stations in art, history, and science.
• Spark Science Center

Products and services

• The Grace Museum The main museum location housed in the historic 1909 Hotel Grace building at 102 Cypress Street, Abilene, TX. Offers art exhibitions, history exhibitions, permanent collections (2,500+ works of art, 12,000+ history objects), and interactive spaces for visitors of all ages.
• Spark Science Center A second location of The Grace Museum at Abilene Heritage Square (1620 South 3rd Street) with STEAM focus. Provides 100+ indoor and outdoor exhibits in biology, chemistry, engineering, physics, and astronomy plus Innovation Park outdoor exhibits.
• Spark Downtown Interactive exploratory space located on the second floor of The Grace Museum designed for children and families with 30+ interactive learning stations including Art Space, History Space, and Create Lab areas.
• The Grace Gift Shop Gift shop offering unique souvenirs including adult gifts, children's toys, Grace souvenirs, t-shirts, arts & crafts supplies, and books & puzzles. Offers 10% discount for members.
• Event Venue Rentals Six unique rental spaces for events including Historic Ballroom (capacity 200), Courtyard (capacity 280), Rooftop Terrace (capacity 150), Grace Garage (capacity 400), Loggia (capacity 80), and Board Room (capacity 30). Available for weddings, corporate events, school functions, and business meetings.
• Grace Academy Summer Camps Summer camps including Art & History camps at The Grace Museum, Science camps at Spark Science Center, and Culinary camps at AISD's The LIFT facility. Camp prices range $75-$200.
• Tot Spot Art experience for preschoolers (ages 3-5) held on the first Thursday and Friday of each month, September through May, including mini-gallery tour and art project. Pricing $7 per participating child ($3.50 for members).
• Homeschool Art Days Art classes for homeschool children ages 5-18 held on the second Monday and Tuesday of each month, September through May. Pricing $7 per student ($3.50 for members, FREE for Big Country Home Educators members).
• Grace Museum Membership Program Tiered membership program (Individual $50, Dual $90, Family $150, Explorer $225, Ruby $500, Sapphire $1,000, Emerald $2,500) providing unlimited admission to both locations, discounts, guest passes, and reciprocal benefits through NARM and ASTC Passport programs.
• Grace Studio Adult Classes Art classes for adults experimenting with various techniques and media, instructor-led with supplies provided. Members receive $5 off.
• History Traveling Trunks Program Educational outreach program bringing Texas History topics to classrooms with hands-on materials, artifacts, curricula, and TEKS-based lesson plans. Available trunks include Cowboy Life In Texas, Native Americans In Texas, WWI & WWII, History Of Abilene, Texas Independence, Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, T&P Railroad and Early Train Travel, and History Of Buffalo Gap.
• Science in a Suitcase Educational outreach program bringing STEAM to classrooms with hands-on materials, models, games, professional tools, and hands-on activities aligned with state standards.

Quantifiable outcome

• AAM accreditation demonstrates compliance with professional museum standards
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Abilene Cultural Affairs CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner supporting cultural programming and exhibitions.
• Community Foundation of AbilenecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for donor advised gifts and Leave 5 planned giving program. Manages multiple named funds supporting the museum.
• Abilene Education FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting Young Masters Juried Art Exhibition collaboration with Abilene ISD.
• Abilene Independent School District (AISD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing free museum tours for all AISD students and teachers. Joint sponsor of Young Masters Juried Art Exhibition for AP Studio Art students.
• Abilene Heritage SquarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership housing Spark Science Center at the Abilene Heritage Square campus. The science center is located in the repurposed historic Abilene High School building.
• Cypress Street StationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCulinary camp partner providing experienced chefs for Grace Academy culinary camps held at AISD's The LIFT facility.
• AISD The LIFTmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacility partner hosting Grace Academy culinary camps. Located at 2034 Quantum Loop.
• Junior League of AbilenemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization partner supporting The Grace Museum programs.
• H-E-BmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTexas retail partner supporting community cultural programming.
• Alice and Bill WrightcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonors who formed the critical foundation of The Grace Museum's photography collection. Their ongoing gift of photographs (400+ original prints) led to the dedication of The Alice and Bill Wright Photography Gallery in 2008. Collection has grown to over 780 photographs.
• Los AficionadoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer group established in 1969 promoting growth of general membership and supporting educational, charitable, cultural, and social activities. Meetings held 1st Tuesday of month, September-May.
• Portal to Texas HistoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWest Texas Digital Archives collaborative project making 150,000+ historical documents and images available through the Portal to Texas History.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Museum of the Pacific War: Fredericksburg, TX-based regional history museum with deep Texas-anchored collections and educational programming, comparable in scale, governance, and community-museum positioning to The Grace's history exhibitions and Texas/Pacific Railway archive focus.
• Fort Worth Museum of Science and History: Texas community-rooted museum combining science, history, and educational programming with a similarly broad K-12 outreach mission and family-oriented interactive exhibits, directly paralleling The Grace's Spark Science Center and education programs.
• The Witte Museum: San Antonio-based museum combining natural history, science, and Texas heritage in a similarly mid-sized community-museum footprint with broad educational programming, making it a strong comparable for The Grace Museum's blended art/history/science model.
• Heard Museum: Phoenix-based community-rooted art and culture museum with comparable educational programming, event rental operations, and integration of cultural collections with broader visitor experience analogous to The Grace.
• Mayborn Museum Complex: Baylor University-affiliated museum in Waco combining natural history, science, and cultural exhibits with a comparable community-museum scale, similar event/program offerings, and family-focused interactive spaces analogous to The Grace's Spark components.
• Perot Museum of Nature and Science: Dallas-based science museum with STEAM-focused interactive exhibits and strong K-12 programming, comparable in mission and exhibition approach to The Grace's Spark Science Center, though significantly larger in scale and budget.
• Frontiers of Flight Museum: Dallas-based regional museum with a specialized thematic collection, educational programs, and event venue operations of comparable scale to The Grace, illustrating a similar mid-sized, single-region museum operating model.
• Amon Carter Museum of American Art: Fort Worth-based museum focused on American art, with similar collection emphasis on American/Texas-connected works and a comparable role as a regional anchor institution, directly comparable to The Grace's permanent art collection strategy.
• McNay Art Museum: San Antonio-based mid-sized regional art museum with comparable programming breadth (exhibitions, education, events) and a similar role serving a Texas city as its principal community art institution.

Broad incumbents

• Kimbell Art Museum: Fort Worth-based, internationally recognized art museum offering a much larger and broader art programming footprint. Comparable as a Texas art-museum operator but operating at a substantially larger scale and budget than The Grace.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheGraceMuseum
• Instagraminstagram.com/the.grace.museum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-grace-museum

Compliance5 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 The Grace Museum Inc