Knoxville Museum Of Art

What Knoxville Museum Of Art does

The Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA) is a nonprofit public-trust art museum located at 1050 World's Fair Park Drive in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded as an independent charitable institution and governed by a Board of Trustees, KMA presents rotating and permanent exhibitions celebrating East Tennessee's visual culture alongside connections to broader currents in world art. Core exhibitions include the ongoing 'Higher Ground: A Century of the Visual Arts in East Tennessee,' Richard Jolley's monumental permanent glass-and-steel installation 'Cycle of Life' in the Great Hall, the 'Facets of Modern and Contemporary Glass' survey, and the Thorne Rooms. Rotating exhibitions such as 'Wayne White: Revenge of the Knoxville Girl' (presented with Big Ears Festival as part of the 2026 Tennessee Triennial) and 'Currents: Contemporary Art from the KMA Collection' extend the program. Educational offerings include Second Sunday Art Activities, Second Sunday Docent Tours, Saturday Storytelling in the Gallery for children ages 3–8, and educator resources for K–12 audiences.

KMA operates a free-admission model that is sustained indefinitely, supplemented by corporate-sponsored free-admission months (e.g., Carton Service). Earned and contributed revenue streams include annual memberships (multiple tiers with benefits such as free special-exhibition admission and shop discounts), individual and corporate donations (including a $2.5 million Aslan Foundation capital gift in 2013), corporate sponsorships, event ticket revenue (Soundscapes concert series at $20 members / $25 non-members; film screenings free for members / $5 non-members; premium tasting dinners such as the $750 Sazerac Mash Bill event), museum shop sales, and facility rentals for private events. Distribution is anchored at a single walk-in physical site open six days per week, with outreach via social media (Facebook, X, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram), a monthly email newsletter (CANVAS), and a network of community partnerships (Downtown Knoxville Alliance, University of Tennessee, Central Cinema, Music for Seniors). The museum employs 11–50 staff and has no disclosed technology platform, mobile app, or AI capabilities.

Name

Knoxville Museum Of Art

Legal name

Knoxville Museum of Art

Website

https://knoxart.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Knoxville Museum of Art is a nonprofit public-trust art museum in Knoxville, Tennessee that presents rotating and permanent visual-art exhibitions focused on East Tennessee, offering free admission alongside educational programs, concerts, and events for the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art Museum

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Museums (THAJADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

Keywords

• Art museum exhibitions
• Visual arts education
• Museum membership programs
• Cultural programming
• Permanent art collection

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Memberships: Annual membership programs offering benefits including free admission to special exhibitions, member-only events, discounts at the museum shop, and recognition.
2. Donations: Individual and corporate donations supported through an online donation portal. The museum operates as a public trust dependent on community charitable support.
3. Event Revenue: Special events including Soundscapes concert series, film screenings, tasting dinners, and educational programs generate ticket revenue. Soundscapes tickets priced at $20 members/$25 non-members. Premium events like Sazerac tasting dinner at $750 per seat.
4. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship of exhibitions, free admission months, and programs. Sponsors receive recognition and association with cultural programming.
5. Museum Shop: Gift shop selling art-inspired merchandise, books, and educational materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Knoxville Museum of Art operates a visual art museum that presents rotating and permanent art exhibitions centered on East Tennessee's visual culture, alongside educational programs (docent tours, family art activities, storytelling), a concert series (Soundscapes), film screenings, and a museum shop. Admission to the permanent collection is free, with fee-based special exhibitions, events, and memberships. The museum also rents its facilities for private functions and operates under a nonprofit public trust model.

Product overview

The Knoxville Museum of Art offers a unified visitor experience centered on its permanent collection and rotating exhibitions. Core offerings include the permanent Higher Ground exhibition showcasing East Tennessee's visual arts heritage, the monumental Richard Jolley glass installation Cycle of Life in the Great Hall, and the ongoing Facets of Modern and Contemporary Glass exhibition. Educational programs include Second Sunday Art Activities for families, Second Sunday Docent Tours, and Saturday Storytelling in the Gallery for children. The museum hosts the Soundscapes concert series featuring live music performances, and special exhibitions such as Wayne White: Revenge of the Knoxville Girl and Currents featuring contemporary works from the collection. Additional visitor services include mobile guided tours, the museum shop, facility rentals, and membership programs. Admission is free, with sponsored admission programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Higher Ground: A Century of the Visual Arts in East Tennessee An ongoing permanent exhibition celebrating a century of visual arts in East Tennessee, showcasing the region's artistic heritage and cultural development.
• Cycle of Life: Within the Power of Dreams and the Wonder of Infinity A permanent monumental glass and steel sculpture installation by Richard Jolley displayed in the museum's Great Hall, serving as a signature artwork of the museum.
• Facets of Modern and Contemporary Glass An ongoing exhibition surveying modern and contemporary artists who approach glass using innovative methods and techniques.
• Thorne Rooms An ongoing exhibition of miniature period rooms.
• A Two Way Mirror: Double Consciousness in Contemporary Glass by Black Artists A special exhibition exploring double consciousness in contemporary glass by Black artists, running February 6, 2026 through May 3, 2026.
• Wayne White: Revenge of the Knoxville Girl An eclectic survey exhibition featuring Wayne White's Word Paintings, sketchbooks, small sculptures, and papier-mâché heads, presented in collaboration with Big Ears Festival as part of the 2026 Tennessee Triennial.
• Currents: Contemporary Art from the KMA Collection A continually-evolving exhibition featuring works from the KMA collection by emerging and established artists working in East Tennessee and beyond.
• KMA Permanent Collection The museum's permanent collection of artworks representing East Tennessee's visual culture and its connections to world art.
• Second Sunday Art Activity A monthly hands-on art activity for families taught by certified art teachers on the second Sunday of each month.
• Second Sunday Docent Tour Guided tours of the galleries led by trained docent educators, offered monthly on second Sundays.
• Saturday Storytelling in the Gallery Interactive storytime sessions for children ages 3-8 and their families, inspired by current exhibitions, held on select Saturdays.
• Soundscapes Concert Series A monthly live music concert series featuring regional performers and national touring artists held in the museum setting.
• Sazerac Mash Bill Tasting Dinner A premium tasting dinner event priced at $750 per seat with limited seating of 20.
• Film Screening Series Film screenings including film noir and special movie events, free for KMA members and $5 for non-members, in partnership with Central Cinema and introduced by University of Tennessee Professor Eleni Palis.
• Annual Memberships Annual membership program offering various tiers with benefits including free admission to special exhibitions, member-only events, and discounts at the museum shop.
• Museum Shop An on-site museum retail offering art-related merchandise, books, and educational materials.
• Facility Rentals Event venue rental services for private functions held in museum spaces.
• Mobile Guided Tours Self-guided mobile tours allowing visitors to explore the museum's collections via smartphone or tablet.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Big Ears FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for the Wayne White: Revenge of the Knoxville Girl exhibition, presented in conjunction with the Big Ears Festival. This partnership aligns the museum with a major cultural event and extends reach to festival attendees.
• Tennessee TriennialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Wayne White exhibition is part of the 2026 edition of the Tennessee Triennial, a statewide celebration of contemporary art.
• Carton ServiceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor that sponsored free admission for a month, demonstrating community business support for cultural accessibility.
• Central CinemaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue for film screenings and events. The museum collaborates with Central Cinema for film noir screenings and special movie events.
• Music for SeniorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization connecting area musicians with older adults through live music programs. KMA hosts free daytime concerts supporting senior engagement and wellbeing.
• University of TennesseeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for educational programming. Professor Eleni Palis from UT's English and Cinema Studies department introduces film screenings and provides scholarly context.
• Downtown Knoxville AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business improvement district organization providing support for exhibitions and cultural programming.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Asheville Art Museum: Regional art museum in the Southeast serving a similarly sized metro audience. Operates with a comparable nonprofit model, exhibitions of regional and contemporary art, and community-based programming.
• Hunter Museum of American Art: Regional American art museum in Chattanooga, TN, comparable in size, scope, and Southeast U.S. market position to KMA. Both institutions balance permanent collections with rotating exhibitions and rely on memberships, donations, and earned programming revenue.
• Birmingham Museum of Art: Mid-size Southeast regional art museum that also offers free admission and operates a broad mix of exhibitions, education, and community programming. Directly comparable in mission, scale, and funding model.
• Telfair Museums: Multi-site art museum in Savannah, GA combining a permanent collection with rotating exhibitions and educational programming. Comparable in nonprofit operating structure and regional cultural anchor positioning.
• Lauren Rogers Museum of Art: Mid-size Southeastern regional art museum with a comparable operating footprint, free admission model, and reliance on philanthropy plus programming revenue. Closely matched in scale to KMA.

Regional players

• Mint Museum: Charlotte, NC-based art museum with a comparable permanent collection and rotating exhibition calendar. Overlaps with KMA in audience demographics and programming mix including family and educational events.
• Speed Art Museum: Kentucky's primary art museum in Louisville, operating a comparable mix of permanent and rotating exhibitions plus community programming. Similar scale and Southeast-adjacent regional positioning.
• Taubman Museum of Art: Roanoke, VA-based regional art museum with a similar balance of permanent collection, rotating exhibitions, and community programming. Comparable in scale and in operating model anchored by donations and memberships.
• Frist Art Museum: Nashville-based art museum with rotating exhibitions and a strong education program, structurally similar to KMA. Comparable programming mix including concerts, films, and family events alongside the core exhibition product.
• Memphis Brooks Museum of Art: Tennessee-based regional art museum operating with a similar nonprofit, public-trust model. Comparable in collection focus, community programming, and reliance on philanthropy, though it operates in a larger metro market than KMA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/knoxart
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/KnoxvilleMuseumOfArt
• Facebookfacebook.com/Knoxville-Museum-of-Art-106622756048344
• Instagraminstagram.com/knoxvillemuseumofart
• Pinterestpinterest.com/knoxart
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/knoxville-museum-of-art-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Knoxville Museum Of Art