Through a multidisciplinary program of exhibitions, events, and educational outreach, the American Center for Art and Culture's (formerly Mona Bismarck American Center) mission is to engage visitors in a dialogue with the depth and diversity of the current American cultural scene. The current center was launched in 2011, based on the legacy of the Mona Bismarck Foundation, which became active in 1986 following the death of its founder and sole benefactor. The American philanthropist Countess Mona von Bismarck donated her Parisian townhouse and the majority of her estate to found the Mona Bismarck Foundation, as "her desire was to establish a Cultural Centre in Paris to enhance the cause of American/French friendship upon her death". On July 4, 2019, the Mona Bismarck American Center became the American Center for Art and Culture.