AccorHotels signed an agreement to acquire 85 percent of 21c Museum Hotels, an award-winning hospitality brand that combines museum and hotel for a unique guest experience. The brand currently consists of 11 properties open or under development across the United States.

21c Museum Hotels was founded in 2006 with its first property in Louisville, Kentucky. Other open properties include those in Bentonville, Arkansas; Cincinnati, Ohio; Durham, North Carolina; Kansas City, Kansas; Lexington, Kentucky; Nashville, Tennessee; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Three are under development in Des Moines, Miami and Chicago.

The properties retain the 21c Museum Hotels name under the umbrella of AccorHotels’ MGallery collection.

“We are delighted to welcome 21c Museum Hotels as part of the AccorHotels family of brands, hence strengthening the Group’s footprint in North America in a very unique and promising niche. Together, we have a tremendous opportunity to grow the 21c brand, as well as introduce MGallery into the North American market, building both brand equities and further expanding the full range of unparalleled experiences for our guests. This strategic acquisition marks a new step in AccorHotels’ strategy of being the leading player in the Luxury and Lifestyle segment in North America,” said Kevin Frid, COO, North and Central America, AccorHotels.

“21c Museum Hotels is proud to announce our entry into the AccorHotels family. AccorHotels is one of the world’s leading hotel operators and will be a perfect partner and catalyst for 21c’s continued growth. We are confident that the unique spirit of 21c will not only be preserved, but will flourish within the MGallery collection of boutique hotels. 21c will continue to bring the work of today’s most dynamic and engaging contemporary artists to the public, and this partnership will be a tremendous boost for 21c’s continued development in North America and abroad. We are extremely excited to see what the future holds,” added Steve Wilson, founder, 21c Museum Hotels.