Museum Of Architecture

What Museum Of Architecture does

The Museum of Architecture (MoA) is a UK-registered charity and cultural institution founded in 2006 by Melissa Woolford, Paul Coates, and Christian Derix, originally as Nous Gallery, and rebranded to its current name in 2012 to broaden its social mission. Headquartered at 8 Palace Gardens Terrace, London, MoA runs pop-up architectural exhibitions, family workshops, summer camps, competitions, and professional development programs, with its flagship annual exhibition The Gingerbread City® (a registered trademark) drawing 144,500+ visitors since 2016 and a 2017 Sandcastles installation drawing 450,000+ visitors.

MoA's product portfolio spans three audiences. For the general public and families, it delivers signature exhibitions such as The Gingerbread City, Sandcastles, Crystal Palace Sandcastle Competition, The Wooden Parliament, Vertical Urban Factory, Portobello Pavilion, and the 2026 Bonsai Treehouses Exhibition, alongside creative workshops (£65–£180) and the Nature's Architects Summer Camp (£60/child/day). For architects and designers, it operates the MoA Business Academy (managed by Linda Lu), architectural competitions, and the flagship 'In Conversation' Annual Conference in partnership with Zaha Hadid Architects. For children, the School for Creative Thinkers program delivers design-led education.

MoA's revenue model blends one-time exhibition and workshop ticket sales through the TicketTailor platform and walk-up sales, recurring corporate sponsorships (Finsa is named), voluntary donations solicited via the museum's support page, and in-kind venue partnerships (e.g., Church Commissioners for England providing Oxford Square Garden). Pricing is published and tiered by audience (Adult £13.50, Child 4–15 £8.50, Concessions £11.50, Family Pass £28 for 3 / £40 for 4). The organization is supported by a board of approximately 15 members and a small operational team led by founder-director Melissa Woolford.

Name

Museum Of Architecture

Legal name

Museum of Architecture

Website

https://museumofarchitecture.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Museum of Architecture is a UK-based charity founded in 2006 in London that runs pop-up architectural exhibitions, family workshops, and summer camps for the public, alongside business-skills programs and an annual conference for architects. Its signature offerings include The Gingerbread City, School for Creative Thinkers, and MoA Business Academy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architecture museum and cultural education

NAICS

Museums (712110), Historical Sites (712120)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA), Architecture & Urban Design Tours (THAJAAAD)

Keywords

• Architecture exhibitions
• Architectural education
• Creative learning programs
• Design professional development
• Public engagement architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Exhibition and Workshop Tickets: Primary revenue stream from admission fees to exhibitions and paid educational workshops including summer camps
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Funding from companies like Finsa for specific exhibitions and installations
3. Donations: Voluntary contributions from supporters and patrons
4. Venue Partnerships: Exchange of venue access for programming, e.g., Church Commissioners providing Oxford Square Garden

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Museum of Architecture is a UK-registered charity that engages the public with architecture through ticketed exhibitions (including the annual Gingerbread City®), creative workshops, and an educational programme for schools (School for Creative Thinkers). It also runs a separate professional development programme for architects and designers — the MoA Business Academy — alongside competitions, conferences, and youth engagement events such as Nature's Architects Summer Camp.

Product overview

The Museum of Architecture is a UK-based charity offering a portfolio of public engagement programs centered on architecture. Its offerings include: The Gingerbread City® (annual flagship exhibition), various public Exhibitions and Events (Sandcastles, Crystal Palace Sandcastle, The Wooden Parliament, Vertical Urban Factory, Portobello Pavilion), the School for Creative Thinkers (children's education), the MoA Business Academy (entrepreneurship training for architects), Competitions, and the Annual Conference (In Conversation). Current programming includes the Bonsai Treehouses Exhibition with associated Creative Workshops and Nature's Architects Summer Camp. The organization functions as a cultural institution rather than a software platform, providing in-person exhibitions, educational programs, and professional development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MoA Business Academy: Entrepreneurship programs for architects providing courses, workshops, lectures, conferences and events for directors, partners, architects, students and children.
• School for Creative Thinkers
• The Gingerbread City

Products and services

• The Gingerbread City® An annual ticketed exhibition in which architects, designers and students design and build futuristic gingerbread cities, exhibited at the MoA venue. Targeted at the general public, families and design enthusiasts.
• Bonsai Treehouses Exhibition A ticketed public exhibition of treehouse designs inspired by Japanese bonsai, accompanied by separately ticketed creative workshops and a masterclass. Targeted at families and design-interested members of the public.
• Nature's Architects Summer Camp A multi-day youth summer camp focused on nature-inspired architecture and design activities for school-age children. Targeted at families and individual children during the school summer holiday.
• School for Creative Thinkers A school outreach programme that brings architecture and design-led learning into primary and secondary schools. Targeted at teachers and schools seeking creative, curriculum-linked enrichment.
• MoA Business Academy A professional development programme offering paid workshops led by industry experts (including Linda Lu) on business, AI and design-technology skills. Targeted at qualified architects, designers and built-environment professionals, including students and small practices.
• Creative Workshops (Bonsai Treehouse, Treehouse Garden and Bonsai Masterclass) Separately ticketed creative workshops delivered alongside the Bonsai Treehouses exhibition, including the Bonsai Treehouse Workshop (£110), Treehouse Garden Workshop (£65) and Bonsai Masterclass (£180). Targeted at families and design-interested adults.
• Design Competitions Architecture and design competitions run by the MoA for entrants including students, practicing architects and members of the public. Targeted at designers, students and the general public.
• In Conversation (Annual Conference) An annual conference of conversations with architects and built-environment figures, intended for architects, designers and engaged members of the public.

Quantifiable outcome

• 144,500+ visitors engaged through The Gingerbread City since 2016
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Church Commissioners for EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided Oxford Square Garden venue for exhibitions, enabling large-scale outdoor architectural installations.
• FinsacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored The Wooden Parliament and Portobello Pavilion exhibitions, providing materials and financial support for architectural installations.
• Zaha Hadid ArchitectsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlagship partnership for Annual Conference 'In Conversation' featuring Melodie Leung, bringing high-profile architectural discourse to museum programming.
• London Festival of ArchitecturecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual partnership for events and promotion during London's premier architecture festival, expanding reach and audience engagement.
• ArupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator on exhibitions and architectural projects, providing engineering expertise and support.
• Build StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator providing studio space and construction support for workshops and exhibitions.
• Future Cities CatapultminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic collaborator on urban design and future cities programming and exhibitions.
• Design MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative exhibitions and events partnership with London's major design institution.
• V&AminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative exhibitions and events partnership with Victoria and Albert Museum.
• Somerset HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative exhibitions and events partnership within the Somerset House cultural complex.
• ArgentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator on development and urban design projects.
• Coal Drops YardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator on exhibitions and events at the King Cross development.
• Cadogan EstatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReal estate partner for venue and location partnerships in Chelsea area.
• South Kensington EstatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReal estate partner for venue and location partnerships in South Kensington.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Architekturzentrum Wien (Az W): Vienna's architecture museum operating exhibitions, public programs and educational events on architectural culture — the European counterpart to MoA's public-engagement model.
• MAXXI: National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome, dedicated to contemporary architecture and art with rotating exhibitions and educational programming — comparable thematic focus and non-profit museum structure.
• Center for Architecture (NYC): New York non-profit foundation operating exhibitions, lectures and K-12 educational programs on architecture — closely comparable mission, structure, and audience mix to MoA.
• Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA): Museum and research institution in Montreal dedicated entirely to architecture as a discipline — exhibits, publications, and public programs make it the closest international peer to MoA's mission.
• Somerset House: London cultural venue hosting architecture, design and creative-industry exhibitions and events; already a confirmed MoA programming partner (select_customers), making it a directly comparable venue/programming operator.
• Design Museum: London-based design-focused cultural institution that runs exhibitions, workshops and educational programs on design and architecture — directly comparable to MoA's public-engagement mission and product mix.
• Deutsches Architekturmuseum (DAM): German Architecture Museum in Frankfurt running exhibitions and educational programs on architecture and urbanism — directly comparable specialist museum offering.
• Chicago Architecture Center: Chicago-based cultural center offering exhibitions, tours, and educational programs on architecture — directly comparable public-engagement and educational programming model to MoA.

Broad incumbents

• Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A): Major London museum with significant design and architecture collections and programming — overlapping audience and an existing MoA programming partner, but operating at vastly larger scale as a broad incumbent rather than niche specialist.

Emerging players

• Roca London Gallery: London design gallery hosting architecture and design exhibitions with corporate backing — partial overlap with MoA's exhibition programming model and London architecture audience, but with corporate rather than charity funding structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/museumofarchitecture
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/museum-of-architecture

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Architecture