Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities

What Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities does

Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities, operating as Cape May MAC (Museums + Arts + Culture), is a 501c3 non-profit cultural heritage organization founded in 1970 and headquartered at the Emlen Physick Estate in Cape May, New Jersey. The organization preserves and interprets three National Historic Landmark properties—the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate Victorian house museum, the 1859 Cape May Lighthouse, and the 1942 World War II Lookout Tower—and serves nearly 300,000 visitors annually through approximately 9,000 tours and events. Operations are supported by 160 paid staff and approximately 300 volunteers, with the organization claiming a $200 million annual economic impact on the local Cape May economy.

Cape May MAC's core offerings comprise guided trolley tours, walking tours, ghost tours, house tours, and themed seasonal event series including the Cape May Music Festival (running since 1990), Victorian Weekend, Christmas in Cape May (six weeks of programming), and Halloween Happenings. Educational programming includes the Lessons of History Distinguished Lecture Series, Lunch & Learn series, and writing workshops led by Cape May Poet Laureate Sylvia Baer. The technology stack consists of standard, non-proprietary SaaS tools: a self-service ticketing portal (ticketapp.org), Shopify for e-commerce, Constant Contact for email marketing, Better Impact for volunteer management, and Google Analytics for visitor demographics—no proprietary platform, AI/ML capabilities, or public APIs are disclosed.

Revenue is generated across seven distinct streams: (1) ticket and admission sales for tours and events, (2) museum shop retail at three locations plus online, (3) a tiered membership program (3,500+ individuals plus Platinum $500/Gold $250 business members), (4) donations and fundraising campaigns, (5) venue rental and private event coordination at the Physick Estate, (6) advertising sales in "This Week in Cape May" publication, and (7) commemorative products including $200 engraved bricks and $150 memorial plaques. The organization rebranded from "Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities" to "Cape May MAC" in spring 2020 under current Director & CEO Joseph J. Alessandrine Jr., who succeeded Dr. B. Michael Zuckerman after a 37-year tenure. Annual disbursements and receipts exceed $5 million.

Name

Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities

Legal name

Cape May MAC (Museums + Arts + Culture)

Website

https://capemaymac.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Cape May MAC is a 501c3 non-profit that operates three National Historic Landmark sites in Cape May, NJ—the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate, the 1859 Cape May Lighthouse, and the 1942 WWII Lookout Tower—serving nearly 300,000 visitors annually through tours, events, education, and museum retail.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Heritage Tourism & Museum Services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Historical Sites (712120), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Historical Sites (71212)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

History Museums (THAJADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led) (THAJAAAC), Monuments, Statues & Memorials (THAJACAB), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

Keywords

• Heritage tourism services
• Historic site tours
• Museum education programs
• Cultural event management
• Victorian house museum

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape May

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tour and Admission Revenue: Ticket sales for tours of Emlen Physick Estate, Cape May Lighthouse, WWII Lookout Tower, trolley tours, walking tours, combination tours, and specialty tours including ghost tours and holiday events. Nearly 9,000 public and private tours/events annually.
2. Museum Shop Sales: Retail sales at three museum shops located at Lighthouse Oil House, WWII Lookout Tower, and Carriage House Museum Shop at Physick Estate. Also operates online store for commemorative items including engraved bricks and memorial plaques.
3. Membership Program: Individual memberships (3,500+ members) and business memberships (Platinum $500, Gold $250) providing discounts, free admissions, and commission on ticket sales for business partners.
4. Donations and Fundraising: Annual appeals, memorial gifts, endowment contributions, legacy giving programs, IRA/stock donations, and in-kind donations. Specific funds for Lighthouse, Physick Estate, WWII Tower, Music Festival, and general operations.
5. Venue Rental and Private Events: Private trolley rentals, wedding and event coordination at Emlen Physick Estate, corporate events, and group tours.
6. Advertising Revenue: Advertising sales in 'This Week in Cape May' publication, website advertising, trolley advertising, and specialty publications. Media kit available for advertisers.
7. Commemorative Products: Sale of commemorative opportunities including Cape May Lighthouse Engraved Bricks ($200) and Veterans WWII Memorial Plaques ($150) installed at historic sites.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (Cape May MAC) operates three National Historic Landmark sites in Cape May, New Jersey — the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate Victorian house museum, the 1859 Cape May Lighthouse, and the 1942 World War II Lookout Tower — and delivers an integrated portfolio of guided trolley tours, walking tours, ghost tours, and house tours alongside seasonal event series such as the Cape May Music Festival, Christmas in Cape May, Victorian Weekend, and Halloween Happenings. The organization also runs educational programming including the Lunch & Learn series, Lessons of History Distinguished Lecture Series, and writing workshops, complemented by museum retail shops at each site and an online store selling commemorative items such as engraved bricks and memorial plaques.

Product overview

Cape May MAC (Museums+Arts+Culture) operates as a multi-faceted cultural heritage organization offering a unified portfolio of historic site tours, themed event series, educational programs, and retail services. The core offerings center on three historic sites—the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate Victorian house museum, the 1859 Cape May Lighthouse maritime museum, and the 1942 World War II Lookout Tower—supplemented by an extensive trolley and walking tour program. The organization presents seasonal event series including the Cape May Music Festival, Christmas in Cape May, Victorian Weekend, and Halloween Happenings, alongside educational programming through the Lunch & Learn series and writing workshops. Museum shops and an online store provide retail merchandise and commemorative opportunities. The products function as an integrated cultural tourism experience where tours, events, education, and retail support the organization's preservation and cultural enrichment mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cape May Music Festival: Annual classical and contemporary music festival presented by Cape May MAC since 1990, South Jersey's premier classical music festival
• Classical Cape May
• Christmas in Cape May

Products and services

• Trolley Tours Guided trolley tours through Cape May's Historic District showcasing Victorian architecture, historic landmarks, and local history, including themed tours such as Historic District tours, Mansions by the Sea, and Welcome to Cape May tours.
• House Tours Interior tours of historic Victorian homes, inns, and properties throughout Cape May, including the annual Christmas Candlelight House Tours.
• Ghost Tours & Haunted Experiences Ghost tours and paranormal-themed experiences including Cape May Ghost Tours, Haunted Tales of the Cape Combo Tour, and Spirits & Oddities trolley tours featuring haunted history.
• Walking & Golf Cart Tours Guided walking tours and golf cart tours for exploring Cape May's historic district, gardens, and scenic areas.
• Boat & Nature Tours Nature-focused tours including birdwatching trolley tours with Cape May Bird Observatory naturalists.
• Emlen Physick Estate Tours Interior tours of the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate Victorian House Museum, the signature landmark of Cape May MAC, exploring the Physick family's life and Victorian-era history.
• Cape May Lighthouse Tours Tours and climbs of the 1859 Cape May Lighthouse operating as a maritime museum, with 199 steps to the top offering panoramic views of the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean.
• World War II Lookout Tower Tours Tours of Fire Control Tower No. 23, built in 1942 as part of Fort Miles, operating as a museum of Cape May's role in World War II homeland defense.
• Cape May Music Festival Annual classical and contemporary music festival presented by Cape May MAC since 1990, South Jersey's premier classical music festival.
• Christmas in Cape May Six-week holiday season tours, activities, and events presented annually from November through January.
• Victorian Weekend Annual celebration of Cape May's Victorian architecture and history with house tours, trolley tours, crafts show, and themed events.
• Halloween Happenings Four weeks of specially-themed tours and events celebrating Cape May's haunted history during October.
• Crafts & Collectibles Shows High-quality crafts and collectibles shows featuring vendors and crafters from throughout the Northeast.
• Lessons of History Distinguished Lecture Series Annual lecture series featuring renowned speakers offering insights into historical topics.
• Lunch & Learn Series Educational lectures covering history, culture, science, and the arts with topics such as the Underground Railroad.
• Writing Workshops Writing workshops hosted by Cape May Poet Laureate Sylvia Baer covering poetry, fiction, memoir, and children's literature.
• Group Tours & Private Trolley Rentals Private trolley rentals and group tour services for weddings, birthdays, corporate events, and reunions for groups up to 28 people, with wheelchair-accessible option available.
• Carroll Gallery Exhibits Changing exhibits at the Emlen Physick Estate Carroll Gallery featuring topics such as tattoos, Black history, Revolutionary Cape May, and holiday traditions.
• Museum Shops Retail shops at the Cape May Lighthouse Oil House, World War II Tower, and Carriage House Museum Shop at the Emlen Physick Estate, selling souvenirs, books, and commemorative items.
• Online Museum Store E-commerce platform on Shopify for purchasing commemorative items including Cape May Lighthouse Engraved Bricks ($200) and Veterans WWII Memorial Plaques ($150).
• Business Membership Program Platinum ($500) and Gold ($250) annual membership tiers for local hotels, restaurants, and businesses, offering enhanced website listings, commission on ticket sales portal, magazine advertising, and tour/merchandise discounts.
• Individual Membership Individual membership program with 3,500+ members offering free admission to sites, tour discounts, and museum shop discounts.
• Gardens of Cape May Tour Self-guided tour showcasing private and public gardens throughout Cape May, presented in partnership with the Garden Club of Cape May.

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Cape May Stage TheatercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2026Partnership for theater performances and event hosting. Cape May Stage provides theater space for Cape May MAC programs including 'By the Book' and 'Tattoo Uprising' events. Wendy Collins serves as primary contact and COO of Cape May Stage while also serving as Cape May MAC board trustee.
• Garden Club of Cape MaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partnership for Gardens of Cape May Tour and Flower Show, combining two major gardening events in Cape May into one exceptional experience for garden enthusiasts.
• Center for Community Arts (CCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation for Carroll Gallery exhibits including 'Routes of Black Travel: The Green Book in Cape May and Wildwood' exploring Black travelers during the Jim Crow era. Also supports 'Black Legacy of Historic Cape May: Unexpected History' exhibit.
• Westminster Choir of Westminster Choir CollegestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenowned Westminster Choir from New Jersey opened the 37th Annual Cape May Music Festival with 'WCC@100: The Westminster Choir Looks Forward' concert celebrating the college's 100th anniversary.
• New Jersey State Council on the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides grant support for Cape May Music Festival and Classical Cape May concert series. Key funding partner for performing arts programming.
• Cape May Bird ObservatoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with Cape May MAC on Natural Habitats Trolley Tour, providing naturalists who guide visitors to local birding hotspots (the birding capital of North America) with disembarking stops at several locations.
• East Lynne Theater CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides theatrical talent for 'Ghosts of Christmas Past Trolley Tour' during Christmas in Cape May with Victorian holiday ghost tales.
• Episcopal Church of the AdventminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcert venue for Cape May Music Festival performances and Classical Cape May series at 712 Franklin St.
• Cape May Convention HallminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue for Lessons of History Distinguished Lecture Series including 'Benjamin Franklin's Revolutions' presentation at 714 Beach Ave.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Longwood Gardens: Major Pennsylvania horticultural destination with ticketed admissions, seasonal events, concerts, and educational programming — comparable scale cultural attraction in the same Mid-Atlantic tourism geography.
• Hagley Museum and Library: Historic DuPont estate in Delaware offering guided tours, exhibits, educational programming, and event rentals — directly comparable Mid-Atlantic historic estate operator with similar mission and revenue mix.
• Strawbery Banke Museum: Portsmouth, NH outdoor history museum featuring restored historic houses, costumed interpreters, gardens, and educational programs — directly comparable multi-building historic site with a similar operations profile.
• Mystic Seaport Museum: Maritime heritage museum with lighthouse interpretation, historic vessels, and educational programs — directly comparable to Cape May MAC's 1859 Cape May Lighthouse and maritime museum operations on the New England coast.
• Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library: Mid-Atlantic history museum and estate offering guided house tours, garden tours, and educational programming on a comparable operational model (preserved historic home, ticketed admissions, events, retail, and memberships) — directly comparable in scope to the Emlen Physick Estate experience.
• Historic Cold Spring Village: South Jersey open-air living history museum offering guided tours, school programs, and seasonal events — a regional direct peer operating in the same New Jersey tourism market as Cape May MAC.
• Old Sturbridge Village: Living history museum in New England with multi-site tours, costumed interpreters, event programming, and educational field trips — closely comparable multi-site historic site operator with similar operational complexity.
• Brandywine River Museum of Art (Brandywine Conservancy): Regional art and history museum in Chadds Ford, PA offering tours, educational programming, special exhibitions, and a museum shop — comparable Mid-Atlantic cultural institution with similar mission and revenue model.

Regional players

• Morristown National Historical Park: National Park Service historic site in New Jersey offering guided tours, educational programming, and visitor services — comparable New Jersey historic attraction but federally operated with different funding model.

Others

• Congress Hall (Cape Resorts): Historic Cape May hotel and Platinum business member of Cape May MAC — not a peer operator but a key channel partner whose commission-based ticket reselling model is referenced as a growth lever; included to reflect the distribution ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CapeMayMAC
• Facebookfacebook.com/capemaymac
• Instagraminstagram.com/capemaymac/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 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 Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities