Trustees of the Berkshire Museum
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 63 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR EXPERIENCES THAT SPARK CREATIVITY AND INNOVATIVE THINKING BY MAKING INSPIRING EDUCATIONAL CONNECTIONS AMONG ART, HISTORY, AND NATURAL SCIENCE.
- Income
- $5.8 million
- Spending
- $3.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- Over 10 years of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 86%
- Employees
- 37
- Volunteers
- 17
- Highest pay
- $171,880, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 36% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 61% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 63 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 17 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (3)
- $1.6 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE OEXHIBITIONS:FOLLOWING ARE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE EXHIBITIONS PRESENTED BY THE MUSEUM IN 2024 - PAINTED PAGES: ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS OF THE 13TH TO 18TH CENTURIESINCLUDING MORE THAN THIRTY-FIVE WORKS-SOME WITH ELABORATE GOLD LEAF DECORATION AND INTRICATE, ORNAMENT- FROM MEDIEVAL BIBLES, PRAYER BOOKS, PSALTERS, BOOKS OF HOURS, CHOIR BOOKS, MISSALS, BREVIARIES, AND LECTIONARIES DRAWN FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE READING PUBLIC MUSEUM IN READING, PENNSYLVANIA, WHO ORGANIZED THE EXHIBITION. ALSO FEATURED IN THE EXHIBIT ARE EXAMPLES OF THE MATERIALS- PARCHMENT, VELLUM, GOLD LEAF, AND MINERALS WHICH WERE GROUND INTO PIGMENTS AND USED BY ARTISTS BEFORE THE AGE OF PRINTED BOOKS TO CREATE THESE EXTRAORDINARY PAGES. PAINTED PAGES: ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS, 13TH - 18TH CENTURIES, IS ORGANIZED BY THE READING PUBLIC MUSEUM, READING, PENNSYLVANIA.120TH: PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE - 1979-2024THE THIRD AND FINAL INSTALLMENT OF THE MUSEUM'S 3-PART EXHIBITION SERIES HIGHLIGHTING THE HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM IN CELEBRATION OF THE INSTITUTION'S 120TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2023. THE FINAL INSTALLATION OF THREE EXHIBITIONS CELEBRATING THE 120TH ANNIVERSARY OF BERKSHIRE MUSEUM, THIS EXHIBITION WILL DETAIL THE LAST 45 YEARS OF THE MUSEUM. THEMES INCLUDE A SPOTLIGHT ON HOW THE 1903 MUSEUM HAS REMAINED RELEVANT FROM THE 1980S TO TODAY, THE DEPARTURE OF GENERAL ELECTRIC AND THE SUBSEQUENT IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY OF PITTSFIELD AND ITS CITIZENS, THE SALE OF ARTWORKS TO PRESERVE AND MAINTAIN THE MUSEUM, AND THE MUSEUM'S PLANS FOR THE FUTURE. THE WORKS ON VIEW WILL BE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE COLLECTION - HISTORIC OBJECTS, PAINTINGS, AND CONTEMPORARY ART. BLACK WOMAN AS MUSEBLACK WOMAN AS MUSE CONTAINS FORTY LARGE-SCALE BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, POSED AND PHOTOGRAPHED IN THE STYLE OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD. PHOTOGRAPHER JERRY TALIAFERRO HAS SELECTED THESE PHOTOGRAPHS FROM HUNDREDS HE HAS TAKEN FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES.IMAGING WOMEN IN THE SPACE AGEIMAGING WOMEN IN THE SPACE AGE SHOWCASES THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF AMERICA'S PIONEERING FEMALE ASTRONAUTS AND HIGHLIGHTS ACHIEVEMENTS OF PIONEERING AND CURRENT FEMALE ASTRONAUTS. FROM THE EARLIEST MOON GODDESSES TO TODAY'S GALACTIC FASHIONS, VISIONS OF FEMALES IN SPACE HAVE SPARKED THE CREATIVE IMAGINATION. ON DISPLAY IN THE EXHIBITION ARE VINTAGE AND CURRENT IMAGES OF FEMALE SPACE TRAVELERS IN TELEVISION SHOWS LIKE LOST IN SPACE AND STAR TREK, PHOTOGRAPHS OF SPACE-INSPIRED FASHIONS INCLUDING PUCCI'S DESIGNS FOR BRANIFF AIRLINES FLIGHT ATTENDANTS AND CHANEL'S 2017 FUTURISTIC DRESSES, AND SCREENSHOTS FROM FILMS LIKE BARBARELLA (1968) STARRING JANE FONDA AND GRAVITY (2013), WHICH STARRED SANDRA BULLOCK. THE EXHIBITION REMINDS US OF THE GROUNDBREAKING ACHIEVEMENTS OF PIONEERING ASTRONAUTS WITH PHOTOGRAPHS OF SALLY RIDE, AMERICA'S FIRST WOMAN IN SPACE; MAE JEMISON, AMERICA'S FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE ASTRONAUT; AND ELLEN OCHOA, AMERICA'S FIRST HISPANIC WOMAN TO GO INTO SPACE. THE EXHIBITION ALSO REFLECTS A WORLD WHERE IMPORTANT CHANGES ARE UNDERWAY AS MORE AND MORE WOMEN ARE PARTICIPATING IN NASA'S SPACE PROGRAM AS ASTRONAUTS AND AS ASTRONAUTICAL ENGINEERS. IT REVEALS INNOVATIVE NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN SPACE SUITS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR WOMEN.THE WILD INDOORS: THE ANIMAL ART OF JULIE BELLAFTER STUDYING ART IN COLLEGE, JULIE BELL DABBLED IN CHILDREN'S BOOK ILLUSTRATION AND RAISED TWO CHILDREN, ANTHONY AND DAVID PALUMBO (SUCCESSFUL ARTISTS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT). LATER, BELL PURSUED A CAREER IN BODYBUILDING, BECOMING A NATIONALLY RANKED COMPETITOR. IN 1989 SHE BEGAN MODELING FOR WELL-KNOWN FANTASY ARTIST BORIS VALLEJO AND WAS INSPIRED TO RETURN TO ART. IN JANUARY 1992 HER WORK APPEARED ON THE COVER OF HEAVY METAL MAGAZINE. SINCE THEN, BELL HAS CREATED ADVERTISEMENTS FOR NUMEROUS COMPANIES, DESIGNED VIDEO GAME PACKAGING ART, AND FOUND WORK IN THE COMIC BOOK INDUSTRY, WHERE SHE BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN TO ILLUSTRATE CONAN THE BARBARIAN FOR MARVEL COMICS. THE ANIMAL ART OF JULIE BELL IS THE FIRST EXHIBITION TO SHOW A DIFFERENT SIDE OF ONE OF TODAY'S MOST SUCCESSFUL FANTASY ARTISTS.CALL OF THE SEA: MARITIME ART AND NAVIGATIONTHIS EXHIBITION CONTAINS MARITIME OIL PAINTINGS FROM THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION SUPPLEMENTED WITH NATURAL SCIENCE AND HISTORICAL OBJECTS RELATED TO SEA LIFE AND NAVAL NAVIGATION TECHNOLOGY. SINCE THE EARLIEST DAYS OF HUMAN CIVILIZATION, THE SEAS HAVE DRAWN PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE WORLD. BOTH DANGEROUS AND ALLURING, SEA TRAVEL HAS LONG BROUGHT DIFFERENT PEOPLES INTO CONTACT, EXCHANGING GOODS, IDEAS, CULTURE, AND DEATH. CALL OF THE SEA: MARITIME ART AND NAVIGATION WILL EXAMINE SOME OF THE IMPACTS SEA TRAVEL HAS HAD ON THE WORLD, WHETHER IT BE CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, OR BIOLOGICAL.HOMAGE TO THE GLACIERA COLLABORATIVE EXHIBITION SHOWCASING THE WORKS OF SCULPTOR PETER BREMERS AND PAINTER JIM SCHANTZ, HOMAGE TO THE GLACIER WAS INSPIRED BY A TRIP THE TWO TOOK TO ICELAND IN 2023. THROUGH THEIR WORK, THE DUO GLORIFY THESE COLOSSAL FIGURES, WHILE REMINDING US OF THE EFFECT OF THE WORLD UPON THEM THROUGH CLIMATE CHANGE. SEEKING INSPIRATION FROM THE REMARKABLE ICE FORMATIONS AND LANDSCAPE OF ICELAND, ARTISTS PETER BREMERS AND JIM SCHANTZ TRAVELED THERE IN MAY 2023. BREMERS HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN INFLUENCED BY THE ICY LANDSCAPES OF THE POLAR REGIONS. ICELANDIC GLACIERS HAVE BEEN RAPIDLY RETREATING FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES AND GLACIER DOWN-WASTING IS ONE OF THE MOST OBVIOUS CONSEQUENCES OF THE WARMING CLIMATE. GLACIERS IN ICELAND REACHED THEIR MAXIMUM SIZE AT THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY. RUNOFF FROM THE GLACIERS HAS ALSO BEEN CHANGING, AND NEW GLACIAL LAKES HAVE FORMED OR INCREASED IN SIZE IN FRONT OF MANY OF THEM, WHILE SOME OF THESE MONUMENTAL GLACIERS HAVE COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED. AS VATNAJKULL RECEDES, THESE ICEBERG FORMATIONS ARE VISUAL REMINDERS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE DELICATE BALANCE OF OUR PLANET. THROUGH THESE WORKS, BREMERS AND SCHANTZ INTEND TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THESE MONUMENTAL, ETHEREAL FORMS, WHILE REMINDING US OF THE RESULTS OF GLOBAL
- $885,805 spent. SEE SCHEDULE OEDUCATION: FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF ALL PROGRAMS WE UNDERTOOK IN 2024 - SCHOOL-AGE IN-HOUSE PROGRAMMING:IN 2024, MUSEUM EDUCATORS DELIVERED OUR PROGRAMMING TO 40 SCHOOLS OVER 60 FIELD TRIPS, TOTALING 1961 STUDENTS AND 3740 EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE 13 PROGRAMS WITH 45 TOTAL LESSONS AVAILABLE: AMAZING REPTILES (PRE-K, EARLY ELEMENTARY, LATE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVELS), ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS (EARLY ELEMENTARY, LATE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS), AQUARIUM EXPLORATIONS (PRE-K, EARLY ELEMENTARY, LATE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS), MAMMAL ADAPTATIONS (PRE-K, EARLY ELEMENTARY, LATE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS), METAMORPHOSIS (PRE-K, EARLY ELEMENTARY, LATE ELEMENTARY, AND MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVELS), MOHICANS: THEN AND NOW (EARLY ELEMENTARY, LATE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS), PHYSICS OF FUN (EARLY ELEMENTARY, LATE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVELS), POETRY OF ART (EARLY ELEMENTARY 1-2, EARLY ELEMENTARY 3-4, LATE ELEMENTARY 4-5, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS), ROCK ON (EARLY ELEMENTARY, LATE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS), THE SCIENCE OF EXPLORATION (EARLY ELEMENTARY, LATE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS), WE SHAPE HISTORY (LATE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS).MOBILE MUSEUM UNITS (MOMU'S)IN 2024, EDUCATORS DELIVERED 98 MOMUS TO 25 SCHOOLS AND 16 COMMUNITY LOCATIONS AROUND BERKSHIRE COUNTY. EACH MOMU HAS CONNECTED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING. MUSEUM EDUCATORS RAN 135 PROGRAMS, REACHING 2060 STUDENTS. EDUCATORS ALSO RAN 10 COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, REACHING 2345 ATTENDEES: PITTSFIELD BEACH BLAST, PITTSFIELD, INC'S FIRST FRIDAYS, BERKSHIRE PRIDE AND YOUTH PRIDE, HILLCREST EDUCATIONAL CENTER'S MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL, ARROWHEAD'S COMMUNITY DAY, PITTSFIELD INC'S IT'S ALIVE!THERE WERE 9 MOBILE MUSEUM UNIT THEMES IN 2024: BERKSHIRE HISTORY, BUGS, THE CHEMISTRY OF COLOR, CURRENCY, GEOLOGY, MAMMAL ADAPTATIONS; TEETH VS. FOOD, MATH IN NATURE, MUH-HE-CON-NE-OK: THE PEOPLE OF THE WATERS THAT ARE NEVER STILL, PLANTS, UNDER THE SEA.
- $327,867 spent. SEE SCHEDULE OPUBLIC PROGRAMMING- FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF ALL PROGRAMS PRESENTED IN THE MUSEUM FOR THE PUBLICFAMILY PROGRAMMING: REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMS:POP-UP PLAY DAY, CHOW TIME, BERKSHIRE BACKYARD EXPLORATION, WEEMUSE STEAM, MEET A FRIEND: ANIMAL AMBASSADOR SPOTLIGHT, MUMMY-SIDE CHATS, SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS, PLAYGROUND PROGRAM WITH PARKS AND REC, FIRST FRIDAYS AT 5, AND SUMMER CAMPS.ONE-TIME PROGRAMS:MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. BOOK READING DAY, BIG BUBBLE BONANZA WITH JEFF BOYER, ENERGY PROGRAM WITH JEFF BOYER, TEN DAYS OF PLAY, WINGMASTERS - BIRDS OF PREY, PJ NIGH, AND DRAG STORY HOUR.OFF-SITE PROGRAMS:BIG BLUE BLOCKS AT THE ATHENEUM, ARROWHEAD COMMUNITY DAY, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DAY, IT'S ALIVE: DOWNTOWN PITTSFIELD, PLAYGROUND PROGRAM WITH PARKS AND REC FIRST FRIDAYS AT 5, HANCOCK SHAKER VILLAGE STEAM NIGHT, AND YOUTH PRIDE.LECTURES:JERRY TALIAFERRO, ARTIST LECTURE: BLACK WORMAN AS MUSE, SCOTT SCHWEIGERT, CURATOR, READING PUBLIC MUSEUM, PA: PAINTED PAGES: ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS, 13TH - 18TH CENTURIES, JULIE WOSK, EXHIBIT CURATOR, WOMEN IN THE SPACE AGEFILM SCREENINGS: 2024 OSCAR-NOMINATED SHORTS, ANIMATION, 2024 OSCAR-NOMINATED SHORTS, DOCUMENTARY, 2024 OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS, LIVE-ACTION, AND MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. SCREENING OF THE MOVIE SELMA.ADULT-GEARED PROGRAMMING: WOMEN IN SONG, LEE BELL CHOIR, ART OF THE HILLS OPENING PARTY, CALL OF THE SEA: HOMAGE TO THE GLACIER OPENING, FESTIVAL OF TREES OPENING PARTY, AQUARIUM BON VOYAGE, AND JAZZ NIGHT.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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 October 13, 2026.
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 October 13, 2026.
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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 1940.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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 21, 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.