Hill-Stead Museum
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
HILL-STEAD MUSEUM (HSM), A NAT'L HISTORIC LANDMARK, SERVES DIVERSE AUDIENCES IN CT AND BEYOND AS A WELCOMING PLACE FOR LEARNING, REFLECTION AND ENJOYMENT.
- Income
- $2.2 million
- Spending
- $1.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- 7.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 63%
- Employees
- 39
- Volunteers
- 200
- Highest pay
- $156,468, executive director & trust
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1571% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 20 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 2526 of 27 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, 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)
- $672,280 spent. EDUCATION AND VISITOR SERVICESHILL-STEAD MUSEUM SERVES AS A DESTINATION FOR LEARNERS OF ALL AGES AND OFFERS NEARLY 7,000 PUBLIC TOURS EACH YEAR IN ART, ARCHITECTURE, AND GARDENS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURIES. SINCE OPENING TO THE PUBLIC IN 1947, OVER 1 MILLION VISITORS HAVE TOURED THE POPE-RIDDLE HOUSE, EXPLORED THE 152-ACRE GROUNDS, AND PARTICIPATED IN ART, LITERATURE, AND NATURE PROGRAMS. IN KEEPING WITH THE POPE-RIDDLE FAMILY'S ENJOYMENT OF CULTURAL PURSUITS, HSM OFFERED A WIDE VARIETY OF PROGRAMMING INCLUDING CONCERTS, EXHIBITIONS, CAMPS, WORKSHOPS, LECTURES/PANELS, AND FESTIVALS.
- $673,730 spent. COLLECTIONS AND CONSERVATIONHILL-STEAD'S 1901 COUNTRY HOME, CHARACTERZIED BY A 33,000 SQUARE FOOT, 36 ROOM INTERIOR AND WHITE CLAPBOARD EXTERIOR WITH MOUNT VERNON VERANDA, IS CONSIDERED "PERHAPS THE FINEST COLONIAL REVIVAL HOUSE AND MUSEUM IN THE UNITED STATES" (NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK REPORT). ESTABLISHED IN 1946 AS A CULTURAL RESOURCE FOR THE PUBLIC IN PERPETUITY, HSM IS ONE OF THE NATION'S FEW REMAINING REPRESENTATIONS OF EARLY 20TH-CENTURY COUNTRY PLACE ESTATES. HSM BOASTS FRENCH IMPRESSIONIST MASTERPIECES - FOUR BY CLAUDE MONET, THREE BY EDGAR DEGAS - AND NOTABLE WORKS BY EDOUARD MANET, MARY CASSATT, AND JAMES MCNEILL WHISTLER, AMONG OTHERS. COLLECTIONS INCLUDE 250 PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS, 290 CERAMICS, 400 PIECES OF FURNITURE, 3,300 BOOKS AND 16,000+ ARCHIVAL
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 2025.
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 June 1998.
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.