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Penobscot Marine Museum

EIN 01-6015647 · Searsport, ME

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PENOBSCOT MARINE MUSEUM INSPIRES CURIOSITY AND FOSTERS UNDERSTANDING ABOUT LIFE AND WORK ON THE MAINE COAST TO ENCOURAGE STEWARDSHIP OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND THE SEA.

Income
$917,257
Spending
$1.1 million
Spent on programs
66%
Reserves
20.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 51%
Employees
24
Volunteers
70
Highest pay
$108,420, executive di

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 20.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 23% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    66% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 28 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 16 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (2)
  1. $554,200 spent. THE CURATORIAL DEPARTMENT OCCUPIES PORTIONS OF 13 BUILDINGS, WHICH HOUSE THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION OF APPROXIMATELY 10,000 ARTIFACTS. THOSE ITEMS NOT DISPLAYED ARE STORED IN A SECURE CLIMATE CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT. A COMPUTERIZED DATABASE IS USED TO MANAGE THE ARTIFACTS. THE LIBRARY HOUSES A COLLECTION OF OVER 12,000 BOOKS INCLUDING PAMPHLETS, DOCUMENTS, ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE AND GENEALOGICAL RECORDS. THE LIBRARY PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTION CONTAINS OVER 300,000 IMAGES OF MARITIME AND REGIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS. ALL LIBRARY COLLECTIONS ARE HOUSED IN A 4,500 SQ FT CLIMATE CONTROLLED BUILDING. LIBRARY COLLECTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR RESEARCH, AND THE MAJORITY OF PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE COLLECTION HAVE BEEN DIGITIZED AND MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH A SEARCHABLE ONLINE DATABASE. NEARLY 5,000 VISITORS TOURED THE MUSEUM THIS YEAR. BOTH CHANGING AND TRAVELING EXHIBITS ARE DEVELOPED AND PROMOTED EACH YEAR. THE CURATORIAL DEPARTMENT OCCUPIES PORTIONS OF 13 BUILDINGS, WHICH HOUSE THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION OF APPROXIMATELY 10,000 ARTIFACTS. THOSE ITEMS NOT DISPLAYED ARE STORED IN A SECURE CLIMATE CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT. A COMPUTERIZED DATABASE IS USED TO MANAGE THE ARTIFACTS. THE LIBRARY HOUSES A COLLECTION OF OVER 12,000 BOOKS INCLUDING PAMPHLETS, DOCUMENTS, ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE AND GENEALOGICAL RECORDS. THE LIBRARY PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTION CONTAINS OVER 300,000 IMAGES OF MARITIME AND REGIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS. ALL LIBRARY COLLECTIONS ARE HOUSED IN A 4,500 SQ FT CLIMATE CONTROLLED BUILDING. LIBRARY COLLECTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR RESEARCH, AND THE MAJORITY OF PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE COLLECTION HAVE BEEN DIGITIZED AND MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH A SEARCHABLE ONLINE DATABASE. NEARLY 5,000 VISITORS TOURED THE MUSEUM THIS YEAR. BOTH CHANGING AND TRAVELING EXHIBITS ARE DEVELOPED AND PROMOTED EACH YEAR.
  2. $189,560 spent. THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OFFERS PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT ENGAGE LEARNERS OF ALL AGES WITH THE MUSEUM'S MISSION. ONE CAMPUS BUILDING IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED AS AN INTERACTIVE LEARNING AND ACTIVITY AREA, AND HANDS-ON COMPONENTS ARE BUILT INTO OTHER EXHIBITS AS WELL. THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OFFERS LECTURE SERIES, HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS, SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS, GUIDED TOURS, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending March 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1940.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.