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Fruitlands Museums Inc

EIN 04-2125003 · Boston, MA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood70 out of 100GovernanceFair60 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Raising each dollar of donations cost 67 cents.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

TO INSPIRE AND EDUCATE THROUGH ART, NATURE AND HISTORY.

Income
$606,780
Spending
$983,354
Spent on programs
93%
Reserves
13.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
other income, 37%
Employees
29
Volunteers
19
Highest pay
$312,799, president and treasurer

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: 70 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 13.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 62% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    93% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 67 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

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 33% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    0 of 25

    0 of 2 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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 (1)
  1. $913,080 spent. FRUITLANDS IS A UNIQUE GATHERING PLACE THAT BUILDS CONNECTIONS BETWEEN NATURE, PEOPLE, AND CULTURE BY OFFERING ENGAGING PROGRAMS AND EXHIBITS. FRUITLANDS HAS APPROXIMATELY 16,000 VISITORS ANNUALLY. FRUITLANDS HOSTED 7,100 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS THROUGH A SIGNIFICANT EDUCATIONAL SCHOOL GROUP PROGRAM AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS. THE FRUITLANDS COLLECTION HAS OVER 9,000 OBJECTS, INCLUDING 570 PAINTINGS, MORE THAN 30 LINEAR FEET OF ARCHIVES, AND OVER 2,000 BOOKS. FRUITLANDS MUSEUM, LOCATED IN HARVARD, MA, WAS FOUNDED IN 1914 BY PRESERVATIONIST, HISTORIAN, AUTHOR AND COLLECTOR CLARA ENDICOTT SEARS. SEARS WAS A DESCENDENT OF THE PEABODYS AND ENDICOTTS, WINTHROPS AND SEARS, AND HER FAMILY TREE WAS ROOTED IN BOSTON. FRUITLANDS AND HER SUMMER HOME, "THE PERGOLAS", SERVED AS IMPRESSIVE SHOWPIECES SIMILAR TO EDITH WHARTON'S THE MOUNT. TODAY, THE MUSEUM IS HOME TO FOUR COLLECTIONS RICH IN STORIES AND PERCHED ON 210 MAJESTIC ACRES OF MEADOWS AND WOODS. FRUITLANDS PROVIDES ITS THOUSANDS OF VISITORS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIKE AND COMMUNE WITH NATURE THROUGH EXPLORATION OF ITS 2+ MILES OF WOODLAND TRAILS, LEARN ABOUT THE LIVES OF THE TRANSCENDENTALISTS THROUGH A VISIT TO THE FRUITLANDS FARM HOUSE, THE SITE OF A UTOPIAN EXPERIMENT LED BY BRONSON ALCOTT; A VISIT TO THE SHAKER MUSEUM; A STOP IN THE NATIVE AMERICAN GALLERY AND A VISIT TO THE ART GALLERY, IN OPERATION YEAR-ROUND, PRESENTING INNOVATIVE EXHIBITS, A PERMANENT EXHIBIT OF HUDSON RIVER PAINTINGS AND ART INSPIRED BY BOTH THE CONTEMPORARY ISSUES AND SUBJECTS COVERED IN OUR PERMANENT COLLECTION. FRUITLANDS IS SUPPORTED BY THE FOLLOWING CORE PRIORITIES AND CORE VALUES: COMMUNITY: FRUITLANDS IS A WELCOMING AND ACCESSIBLE PLACE WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES. WE VALUE OUR COMMUNITY AND ARE EAGER TO INVITE PEOPLE TO BECOME A PART OF IT. WE ARE COLLABORATIVE, INCLUSIVE IN OUR REACH AND HONEST IN OUR COMMITMENT TO SERVING THE CHANGING NEEDS OF OUR AUDIENCES. OUR LANDSCAPE AND PROGRAMS INSPIRE AND NURTURE THE CREATIVE SPIRIT. WE UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTION OF HUMAN BEINGS TO THE LAND AND TO EACH OTHER. COLLECTIONS: THE OBJECTS AND THE STORIES THAT BRING OUR MISSION TO LIFE ARE FOUND IN OUR COLLECTIONS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO THEIR PRESERVATION, INTERPRETATION AND GROWTH WITH AN EMPHASIS ON OUR LIVING COLLECTION; THE LAND. EXCELLENCE: CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT DRIVES OUR EFFORTS EACH DAY. WE UNDERSTAND THE HIGHEST STANDARDS IN ALL AREAS OF THE WORK THAT WE DO AND AIM TO EXCEED THEM. SUSTAINABILITY: WE ACTIVELY WORK TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF THE MUSEUM'S RESOURCES ARE PROTECTED AND MAINTAINED TO ENSURE THEY ARE PRESERVED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. INNOVATION: OUR EXPERIENCES WILL EVOKE CURIOSITY IN OUR AUDIENCES AND INSPIRE POSITIVE ACTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. WE WILL MAINTAIN INSTITUTIONAL CURIOSITY TO FIND SOLUTIONS AND BUILD CONNECTIONS.

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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1994.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.