Yellowstone Art Museum
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1964
- HeadquartersBillings, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Yellowstone Art Museum firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Yellowstone Art Museum
- Legal name
- Yellowstone Art Museum
- Website
- https://artmuseum.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1964
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Yellowstone Art Museum industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Art Museum Services
- NAICS
- Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Art Museums (THAJADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)
Keywords
Where Yellowstone Art Museum is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Billings
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Yellowstone Art Museum business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Art Auction Fundraiser: The museum's signature annual fundraising event featuring juried artwork sales via silent and live auction. Artists donate a percentage of proceeds; the gala is a ticketed black-tie event. Revenue is generated through ticket sales, art sale commissions, and sponsorship packages. The 59th Annual Art Auction is scheduled for February–March 2027.
- Individual Memberships: Annual membership programs offering benefits in exchange for recurring dues, providing essential predictable funding for the museum's operations and exhibitions.
- Admissions Revenue: Admission fees charged to non-Yellowstone County visitors ($8 adults, $6 seniors). Free admission for Yellowstone County residents, youth 18 and under, and student ID holders. Revenue supplemented by Art Bridges Foundation Access for All program.
- YAM Store Retail: On-site retail store selling art books, jewelry, prints, handcrafted items, toys, and one-of-a-kind artworks. Offers consignment opportunities for artists.
- Raven's Café d'Art: On-site café operated by Chef Lyle, offering sandwiches, salads, vegetarian fare. Also provides catering for museum events. Open seasonally with limited hours.
- Corporate Partnerships: Corporate sponsorship of exhibitions, events, and programs. Sponsors receive prominent brand visibility at events like the Art Auction, WinterFair, and Monster Drawing Rally.
- Planned Giving & Endowment Gifts: Legacy giving programs encouraging donors to include the YAM in estate planning. Gifts to endowment provide lasting financial support.
- School Tour and Program Fees: Charge per student for docent-led tours ($3 tour-only, $5 with artmaking lesson). Camps and classes priced per session for members and non-members.
- Children's Camps and Classes: Summer Art Academy (ages 8–14), YAM Camp (ages 6–12), and Technique Tuesdays classes (ages 5–16) offered at tiered pricing for members vs. non-members.
- WinterFair Vendor Fees: Arts and crafts market event (December) where local artists and vendors pay booth fees to participate. Free admission for attendees.
- Monster Drawing Rally: Fundraising event where artworks created live by artists are auctioned at a flat $50 price. Includes tickets, sponsorships, DJ entertainment, snacks, and cash bar.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One time | Free admission for Yellowstone County residents and those 18 and under |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual membership programs for individuals |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | School tour pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Children's summer classes and camps |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Raven's Café d'Art |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Monster Drawing Rally auction pieces |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Adult education classes |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
Yellowstone Art Museum product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Yellowstone Art Museum exhibits, collects, and interprets contemporary and regional visual art and delivers art education programs for all ages. Its core offerings include rotating exhibitions, permanent collection access through the Visible Vault, K-12 and adult education programs, on-site dining and retail, and signature annual fundraising events such as the Yellowstone Art Auction, WinterFair, and Monster Drawing Rally.
Product overview
The Yellowstone Art Museum operates as a single unified institution offering a diverse portfolio of products and services centered around contemporary art. The core offerings include rotating exhibitions (Exhibitions) and permanent collection access through the Visible Vault, supplemented by extensive educational programming spanning children's classes, summer camps, adult education, teen programs, and family activities. The museum also features public engagement events including the annual Yellowstone Art Auction, WinterFair arts market, and Monster Drawing Rally. Supporting services include Raven's Café d'Art, the YAM Store retail outlet, docent-led tours, and an artist-in-residence program. Educational outreach extends through the Young Artists Gallery for student work and partnerships with regional schools and the Montana Women's Prison.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- YAM Store: Museum gift shop offering artful items, books, jewelry, prints, gifts, handcrafted items by local and nationally-known artists, toys, and other items for children of all ages.
- Raven's Café d'Art
- Visible Vault
- YAG (Young Artists Gallery)
- YAM Docents
Products and services
- Rotating and Traveling Exhibitions Rotating and traveling exhibitions showcasing contemporary art from regional, national, and international artists, displayed throughout the museum's galleries. Includes the inaugural Concourse B solo airport exhibition by Eric Jensen (June–November 2026) and curated shows such as the Northeastern Asia and Northern Rockies exhibition (2025). Open to the general public; admission is free for Yellowstone County residents, $8 adults / $6 seniors for non-county visitors.
- Permanent Collection and Visible Vault Public access to approximately 3,500 works of contemporary art and archival materials in the Visible Vault, including the Poindexter Collection of Abstract Expressionism, Herbert and Dorothy Vogel Conceptual/Minimalist works, and the Peter Norton Family Collection. Visitors pick up a key card at the main museum front desk to access the Vault.
- Children's Classes Summer Art Studio Classes and Technique Tuesdays classes for ages 5–16, including sessions on printmaking, collage, needle felting, painting, and more. Members $10, Non-Members $20 per session. Registration via HiSawyer.
- Children's Camps and Summer Art Academy Multi-week summer camps including Summer Art Academy at Montana State University Billings (ages 8–14, 26th season, June 1–12, $335 members / $375 non-members) and YAM Camp (ages 6–12, July–August, $300 members / $335 non-members). Need-based scholarships available via the Sally McIntosh, Joel and Andrea Long, and Sally McIntosh Scholarship Funds.
- FAM at the YAM Family art-making programs held on first Fridays, offering hands-on art activities led by professional artists for all ages.
- Adult Education Adult art classes taught by professional artists, the annual Urban Sketchbook Symposium, Yoga & Figure Drawing retreats at Tippet Rise, and OPI credit opportunities for educators. Members receive 20% off most courses. Funded in part by the Montana Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts.
- Museum Teen Council Teen program for ages 13–18 focusing on exhibitions, artistic techniques, volunteer opportunities, and community building.
- Young Artists Gallery (YAG) Year-round gallery space dedicated to showcasing artwork by pre-kindergarten through high school students from schools within a 150-mile radius of the YAM. Free and open to the public.
- Community Outreach and Educational Partnerships Partnerships with schools within a 120-mile radius including Billings Public Schools, Crow Agency Public School, Head Start Preschool, and the Montana Women's Prison art program (bi-monthly classes since 2013, funded by Tippet Rise Fund). 100% of Montana Women's Prison participants report the program brings value to their future.
- Yellowstone Art Auction Annual signature fundraising event (nearly 60 years running) featuring juried artwork for silent and live auction, showcasing regional and emerging artists. Ticketed black-tie gala with corporate sponsorship packages.
- WinterFair Annual winter arts and crafts market held in December, coinciding with the downtown Billings Holiday Stroll and ArtWalk. Local artists and vendors pay booth fees. Free admission for attendees.
- Monster Drawing Rally Fast-paced fundraising event where 20+ artists create artworks in 50-minute rounds under live audience, with pieces auctioned at a flat $50 each. Includes tickets, sponsorships, DJ entertainment, snacks, and cash bar.
- Raven's Café d'Art On-site café operated by Chef Lyle, offering sandwiches, salads, and vegetarian fare. Open Wednesday–Friday 11 a.m.–2 p.m. (summer June 20–August 29, 2026). Take-out, Uber delivery, and catering for museum events available.
- YAM Store On-site retail store featuring museum-worthy items, one-of-a-kind artworks, art books, jewelry, prints, gifts, handcrafted items by local and nationally-known artists, toys, and consignment opportunities for artists.
- Tours and Group Visits Docent-led and self-guided tours for preschool through adult groups, including inquiry-based Visual Thinking Strategies gallery explorations and artmaking lessons. School tours: $3 tour-only / $5 with artmaking lesson per student. Free busing or virtual tours for 5th-grade classes in Billings.
- Artist-in-Residence Program Artists-in-Residence program at the Gary & Melissa Oakland Artist in Residence Studio in the Visible Vault, providing studio space for artists to create and engage with the museum's collection.
- Online Art Suitcase Online art resource for classroom educators to teach standards-aligned, inquiry-based art education, focusing on Montana artists from the museum's permanent collection. Accessible at www.artsuitcase.org. Reaches approximately 3,500 children annually in Billings Public Schools 4th and 5th grade classrooms.
Quantifiable outcome
- 25,000 visitors expected in 2025
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Yellowstone Art Museum
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Yellowstone Art Museum technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Yellowstone Art Museum partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Billings Logan International Airport (BIL)coreYAM exhibitions displayed in Concourse B of Billings Logan International Airport. The partnership began in 2025 with 'Big Art Under the Big Sky' and 'Starlight on Snowdrifts.' In 2026, Eric Jensen became the first solo artist exhibited in Concourse B. Reaches thousands of air travelers.
- Montana Women's PrisoncorePartnership since 2013 in which professional artists teach bi-monthly art classes at the Montana Women's Prison. The program aligns with the prison's recovery/reentry model, preparing women to rejoin communities. Funded by Tippet Rise Fund of the Sidney E. Frank Foundation. 100% of participants report the program adds value to their future.
- Billings Public SchoolscoreLongstanding educational partnership including school tours at the museum, YAM educator visits to classrooms, the Art Suitcase program for 4th and 5th graders, and student exhibitions in the Young Artists Gallery. Free busing or virtual tours provided for 5th-grade classes.
- Crow Agency Public SchoolminorEducational partnership within a 120-mile radius of Billings. Students' artwork displayed in the YAG (Young Artists Gallery).
- Greybull, WY Middle and High SchoolsminorEducational partnership serving students in Greybull, Wyoming. Annual student art exhibitions in the YAG at the museum.
- Hardin Middle and Intermediate SchoolsminorEducational partnership with annual YAG student art exhibitions at the museum.
- Park City School DistrictminorEducational partnership serving Park City students with museum visits and YAG exhibitions.
- Head Start PreschoolminorEarly childhood education partnership bringing young children and their families to the museum for early arts exposure.
- Montana State University Billings (MSUB)coreSummer Art Academy camp is hosted on the MSUB campus. Young artists ages 8–14 study under professional artists at the university facility.
- Tippet Rise Art CentercoreYAM offers annual Yoga & Figure Drawing retreats at Tippet Rise Art Center's Cottonwood Campus. Also partner in the James Florio 'Thirtysix Views of Inverted Portal' exhibition. Tippet Rise's Inverted Portal sculpture by Ensamble Studio is featured in the exhibition.
- Paris Gibson Square Museum of ArtminorOrganized the 'Folktales and Fanfare: The Art of Janina Myronova' exhibition, curated by Nicole Maria Evans. This is an organized traveling exhibition from another Montana museum.
- National Gallery of ArtcoreIn 2009, the YAM was selected as Montana's recipient of the Herbert & Dorothy Vogel collection gift (50 Conceptual and Minimalist works), part of the national '50 Works for 50 States' program administered by the National Gallery of Art.
- Billings Cultural PartnersminorYAM is a member of Billings Cultural Partners — a consortium of 32 leading cultural organizations in Billings enabling cross-promotion and collaboration across the city's arts and cultural sector.
- Alzheimer's Association (Montana Chapter)minorMonthly 'Connections at the Art Museum' program for people living with early-stage cognitive impairment and their care partners, hosted at the YAM. Free program held every 3rd Friday.
- Red Lodge Clay CenterminorListed as an Art Auction 58 sponsor and partner. A key regional arts organization in Montana.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Yellowstone Art Museum competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Whatcom Museum: Bellingham, Washington museum combining art, history, and culture with comparable education focus. Similar scale to YAM and operates with a comparable hybrid programming and community engagement model.
- Holter Museum of Art: Regional contemporary art museum in Helena, Montana with similar educational programming and community focus. Comparable scale, mission, and rural-Montana operating context make it a natural peer for benchmarking.
- Boise Art Museum: Contemporary art museum in Boise, Idaho — comparable mid-sized regional art museum with similar educational programming, exhibition rotation, and Mountain West geographic context. Useful peer for benchmarking visitor scale and donor development.
- C.M. Russell Museum Complex: Art museum in Great Falls, Montana focused on Western American art with comparable regional scope, education programs, and donor-driven fundraising model. Similar visitor scale and rural-Mountain West operating environment.
- Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture: Spokane, Washington museum with regional art and cultural focus. Comparable mid-sized regional museum with educational programming and AAM accreditation, in a similar Pacific Northwest/Mountain West operating environment.
- Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art: Contemporary art museum in Great Falls, Montana — explicitly partnered with YAM on traveling exhibitions. Closest geographic and programmatic peer, operating in a similarly-sized Montana city with comparable contemporary art focus and educational programming.
Emerging players
- Tippet Rise Art Center: Art center near Fishtail, Montana featuring large-scale sculpture and music. Explicit partner with YAM on Yoga & Figure Drawing retreats and exhibitions — operates in the same regional art ecosystem with complementary programming.
Broad incumbents
- Denver Art Museum: Major Western US art museum with a contemporary collection comparable in style to YAM's Vogel holdings. Significantly larger scale; useful as a strategic aspirational peer and potential partnership/loan partner for traveling exhibitions.
- Joslyn Art Museum: Omaha, Nebraska art museum with a permanent collection of similar scope and a strong education mission. Larger scale but operates in a comparably-sized regional market with similar programming priorities including free/subsidized access programs.
Regional players
- Museum of the Rockies: Bozeman, Montana museum affiliated with Montana State University, focused on natural history and regional culture. Larger scale but similar Montana operating context and Smithsonian-affiliated programming model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Yellowstone Art Museum social profiles
Digital presenceYellowstone Art Museum financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Yellowstone Art Museum leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Yellowstone Art Museum funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Yellowstone Art Museum M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Yellowstone Art Museum
What does Yellowstone Art Museum do?
The Yellowstone Art Museum exhibits, collects, and interprets contemporary and regional visual art and delivers art education programs for all ages. Its core offerings include rotating exhibitions, permanent collection access through the Visible Vault, K-12 and adult education programs, on-site dining and retail, and signature annual fundraising events such as the Yellowstone Art Auction, WinterFair, and Monster Drawing Rally.
Is Yellowstone Art Museum a public or private company?
Yellowstone Art Museum is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Yellowstone Art Museum founded?
Yellowstone Art Museum was founded in 1964. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Yellowstone Art Museum based?
Yellowstone Art Museum is headquartered in Billings, United States, in the North America region.
How does Yellowstone Art Museum make money?
Eleven revenue lines are on record. Art Auction Fundraiser is the primary driver. The others are individual Memberships, admissions Revenue, YAM Store Retail, raven's Café d'Art, corporate Partnerships, planned Giving & Endowment Gifts, school Tour and Program Fees, children's Camps and Classes, winterFair Vendor Fees and monster Drawing Rally.
Who are Yellowstone Art Museum's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Whatcom Museum, Holter Museum of Art, Boise Art Museum, C.M. Russell Museum Complex, Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture and Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art. Tippet Rise Art Center is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Denver Art Museum and Joslyn Art Museum. Museum of the Rockies is listed as a regional player.
Does Yellowstone Art Museum have an API?
No public API is recorded for Yellowstone Art Museum.
What industry is Yellowstone Art Museum in?
Yellowstone Art Museum's product category is Art Museum Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAA, Art Museums, with a secondary code of THAJADAH, Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit). Its NAICS code is 712110 and its SIC code is 7990.