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Brooklyn Childrens Museum Corp

EIN 11-2495664 · Brooklyn, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair55 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE O

Income
$10.9 million
Spending
$7.8 million
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
-1.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 37%
Employees
116
Volunteers
37
Highest pay
$295,348, president & ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 37% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 28% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 45% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    36 of 36 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 June 30, 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 (4)
  1. $1.8 million spent. MAINTENANCE & SECURITY:IN ORDER TO SUPPORT ITS PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES AND SERVE THE COMMUNITY, BROOKLYN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM MAINTAINS A 125,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY. MAINTENANCE AND FACILITIES STAFF OVERSEE SAFETY, CLEANLINESS, BUILDING OPERATIONS, AND REPAIRS NECESSARY TO ENSURE A SAFE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR VISITORS, STAFF, AND PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. FACILITIES STAFF ARE REPRESENTED BY MUNICIPAL UNION DC 37.
  2. $1.8 million spent. EDUCATION:THE MUSEUM'S EDUCATION PROGRAMS SERVED APPROXIMATELY 30,000 STUDENTS AND CHAPERONES DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025 THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 1,100 SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS AND SCHOOL-BASED VISITS. THE MUSEUM ALSO PROVIDED FREE AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMMING FOR APPROXIMATELY 145 CHILDREN FROM CENTRAL BROOKLYN FAMILIES. THESE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT CURRICULUM-ALIGNED LEARNING, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND CREATIVE EXPLORATION THROUGH HANDS-ON, MUSEUM-BASED EXPERIENCES. A SMALL TEEN ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM SERVED APPROXIMATELY 100 PARTICIPANTS DURING THE YEAR AND WAS CONCLUDED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR.
  3. $1.0 million spent. EXHIBIT:IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, BROOKLYN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM SERVED OVER 275,000 VISITORS THROUGH GENERAL ADMISSIONS AND EXHIBIT-BASED PROGRAMMING. THIS REPRESENTS A MODEST INCREASE FROM APPROXIMATELY 270,000 VISITORS SERVED IN FISCAL YEAR 2024 AND A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM APPROXIMATELY 240,000 VISITORS SERVED IN FISCAL YEAR 2023. THE MUSEUM'S PERMANENT EXHIBITS INCLUDE WORLD BROOKLYN, A RECREATED STREET FEATURING CHILD-SIZE REPLICAS OF REAL BROOKLYN STORES; NEIGHBORHOOD NATURE, AN EXPLORATION OF BROOKLYN'S ECOSYSTEMS; COLLECTIONS CENTRAL, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS OBJECTS FROM THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION THROUGH ROTATING THEMED EXHIBITIONS; TOTALLY TOTS, AN EARLY CHILDHOOD SENSORY LEARNING SPACE; AND COLORLAB, A HANDS-ON ART AND STEM-FOCUSED STUDIO HIGHLIGHTING BLACK ART AND ARTISTS.DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025, THE MUSEUM PRESENTED IN THE WORKS, A TEMPORARY VISITING EXHIBITION CENTERED ON CONSTRUCTION, COLLABORATION, AND CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING, WHERE CHILDREN ENGAGED IN HANDS-ON BUILDING ACTIVITIES USING REAL TOOLS AND MATERIALS IN A SUPERVISED ENVIRONMENT. IN ADDITION TO EXHIBIT-BASED EXPERIENCES, THE MUSEUM EXPANDED PUBLIC PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, INCLUDING SPECIAL EVENTS CELEBRATING THE MUSEUM'S 125TH ANNIVERSARY, EXTENDED MOVIE SCREENINGS IN THE MUSEUM'S AUDITORIUM, AND THE CONTINUATION OF SEASONAL ARTRINK PROGRAMMING. THESE ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED THE MUSEUM'S MISSION BY PROVIDING ACCESSIBLE, PLAY-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
  4. $1.3 million spent. OTHER PROGRAMMATIC FUNCTIONS INCLUDE COLLECTIONS, VISITOR SERVICES, DEVELOPMENT, MEMBERSHIP, MARKETING, AND GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, WHICH COLLECTIVELY SUPPORT THE MUSEUM'S EXEMPT PURPOSE AND CORE OPERATIONS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 October 1981.

    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.