The Massachusetts Historical Society

Name

The Massachusetts Historical Society

Legal name

Massachusetts Historical Society

Website

https://masshist.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1791

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historical Research Library and Cultural Heritage Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation) (EDAEAGAJ), Scholarly Societies & Conference Proceedings Publishing (MPAJABAK)

Keywords

• Historical research library
• Archival collections
• Primary source research
• Scholarly fellowships
• History education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership program offering various levels including Visionary Circle for planned giving. Members receive benefits such as advanced event access and exclusive programming.
2. Individual Donations and Gala: Annual Making History Gala with individual and corporate sponsorships at Patron, Benefactor, and Signature levels. Event supports MHS mission including public programs, exhibitions, fellowships, and National History Day.
3. Grant Funding: Funding from foundations and government agencies including anonymous donors, NEH, and Mass Humanities for specific programs and positions.
4. Research Services: Reference services, reproduction services, and permissions/licensing for collection materials used in publication or media.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Massachusetts Historical Society operates an independent research library housing millions of rare documents, artifacts, and national treasures that document American history. It curates public exhibitions, produces the Adams Papers Editorial Project, runs National History Day in Massachusetts for grades 6-12, and awards competitive research fellowships. The Society maintains digital collections, hosts public programs and events (in-person and virtual), and supports scholarly publishing and educational initiatives across Massachusetts and the nation.

Product overview

The Massachusetts Historical Society is an independent research library and historical society founded in 1791, offering a unified portfolio of services centered on collecting, preserving, and sharing American historical materials. Its core offerings include a research library with millions of rare documents and artifacts, rotating exhibitions, and the Adams Papers Editorial Project producing scholarly documentary editions. Educational initiatives include National History Day in Massachusetts and teacher/student programs. The Society provides digital access through online collections, podcasts, videos, and a blog. Scholarly programs encompass research fellowships, seminars, the Peter J. Gomes Memorial Book Prize, and an annual Making History Gala for fundraising. Events and programs are offered both in-person and virtually via Zoom.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 900 fellowships awarded since 1984-1985, resulting in 470+ publications including 160+ books
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Massachusetts Commission on the 250th Anniversary of the American RevolutioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 July 2021MHS participates in the state commission created by appropriations bill H 4000 signed by Gov. Charlie Baker. The 35-member commission includes leaders in historical, cultural, tourism, and political sectors partnering with other states and the federal America 250 Commission to commemorate the American Revolution.
• Mass HumanitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided funding support for the Housing as History Program Series examining Boston's housing history and affordable housing challenges.
• Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with MHS on Housing as History Program Series, bringing academic housing research expertise to public programming.
• New England Regional Fellowship ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHS participates in the NERFC network of 26 research and cultural institutions across New England. The consortium provides grants for researchers drawing on resources of member institutions.
• America 250 Commission (Federal)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational commission commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence. Massachusetts commission partners with the federal commission and other state commissions.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Library of Congress: National library with the largest collection of books and manuscripts in the world, significant fellowship programs, and digital-access infrastructure. Competes for scholarly mindshare but operates at a national scale far beyond MHS.
• Smithsonian Institution: National-level cultural and research complex with vastly larger budget, broader collection scope, and federal funding. Overlaps with MHS in archival stewardship and exhibition programming but operates at fundamentally greater scale and geographic footprint.
• National Archives and Records Administration: Federal archival institution preserving U.S. government records with nationwide research facilities. Federal mandate, multi-billion-dollar scale, and presidential-papers holdings make it a broad incumbent competing for the same scholarly and donor audiences as MHS.

Direct peers

• American Philosophical Society: Philadelphia-based learned society and scholarly publisher with deep archival holdings, a research library, fellowship program, and peer-reviewed publications. Mirrors MHS's combination of scholarly society, library, and editorial publishing activities.
• American Antiquarian Society: Independent research library founded 1812 in Worcester, MA, with a comparable mission of collecting and preserving American historical materials, hosting scholarly fellows, and providing access to rare printed and manuscript collections. Closest functional peer to MHS in terms of operating model and scale.
• Chicago History Museum: Independent historical society operating a research center, museum exhibitions, and educational programs with regional focus and national scholarly reach. Closest mid-tier peer in scale and program mix outside the Northeast.
• New England Historic Genealogical Society: Boston-area research library and archive specializing in genealogical and historical records with a membership-funded operating model and digital collection access. Comparable on the library/archival services side, particularly for individual researcher access.
• Virginia Museum of History & Culture: Virginia's state historical society operating a research library, museum, and educational programs with comparable scholarly fellowship and publication activities. Functions as a direct state-society analogue to MHS.
• New-York Historical Society: Independent historical society operating a research library, museum exhibitions, and educational programs with a state-focused but nationally significant collection. Closest large-scale peer combining library, museum, and education programming.
• Historical Society of Pennsylvania: State-focused historical society in Philadelphia with archival collections, a research library, fellowships, and public programming. Operates a nearly identical mix of library services, exhibitions, and educational outreach as MHS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/massachusetts-historical-society

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Massachusetts Historical Society