Montauk Historical Society
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE PURPOSE OF THE MONTAUK HISTORICAL SOCIETY IS TO COLLECT, RESTORE, PRESERVE AND DISPLAY HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT BUILDINGS, OBJECTS AND WRITINGS AND TO PRESERVE AND SHARE THE HISTORY AND CULTURES OF MONTAUK AND THE EAST END FOR THIS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
- Income
- $2.7 million
- Spending
- $2.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 53%
- Employees
- 46
- Volunteers
- 15
- Highest pay
- $150,462, executive di
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
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 6.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 30% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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 (1)
- $2.2 million spent. THE LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM: THE MONTAUK HISTORICAL SOCIETY OWNS AND MAINTAINS THE MONTAUK POINT LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM. THE MONTAUK POINT LIGHTHOUSE HAS LONG BEEN FAMED AS THE SYMBOL OF LONG ISLAND AND ONE OF AMERICA'S OLDEST LIGHTHOUSES. AUTHORIZED IN 1792 BY THE SECOND CONGRESS UNDER PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON, IT WAS BUILT BY NEW YORK ARCHITECT, JOHN MCCOMB, IN 1796. ON MARCH 5, 2012, THE MONTAUK POINT LIGHTHOUSE WAS DESIGNATED A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK, JOINING THE RANKS OF ONLY 11 OTHER LIGHTHOUSES IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE BEEN SO HONORED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR BECAUSE OF THEIR EXCEPTIONAL VALUE IN ILLUSTRATING AND INTERPRETING THE HERITAGE OF OUR NATION. THE LIGHTHOUSE TOWER AND MUSEUM ARE OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND TOURS ARE AVAILABLE FOR SCHOOLS AND OTHER GROUPS. EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS ARE HELD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON THE LIGHTHOUSE GROUNDS. THE LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE 1860 KEEPERS' HOUSE, DISPLAYS AN ASSORTMENT OF HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS AND IS HOME TO SEVERAL UNIQUE COLLECTIONS. IN ADDITION TO THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND DWELLINGS, THE COLLECTION INCLUDES NAUTICAL INSTRUMENTS, SHIP MODELS, FURNITURE, AND WHALING INDUSTRY ARTIFACTS. THERE ARE EXHIBITS SHOWING THE HISTORY OF THE LIGHTHOUSE AND THE EROSION CONTROL EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED OVER THE YEARS. THE LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION FEATURES TWO EXCLUSIVE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS. ONE OF THESE IS THE CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION TO CONSTRUCT A LIGHTHOUSE AT MONTAUK POINT AND IS SIGNED BY THEN SECRETARY OF STATE, THOMAS JEFFERSON. THE OTHER IS THE FEDERAL AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE THE LAND AT MONTAUK POINT FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING A LIGHTHOUSE. THAT DOCUMENT IS SIGNED BY THEN PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON. THE SECOND HOUSE MUSEUM: SECOND HOUSE, BUILT IN 1746 AND REBUILT IN 1797, WAS ORIGINALLY A DWELLING FOR A LIVESTOCK KEEPER AND HIS FAMILY. IT WAS ONE OF ONLY THREE HOUSES THAT EXISTED IN MONTAUK IN THE LATE 18TH AND EARLY 19TH CENTURIES. THE OLDEST AND MOST HISTORIC DWELLING STILL STANDING IN MONTAUK, IT REMAINS THE SUBJECT OF A METICULOUS RESTORATION BY THE TOWN OF EAST HAMPTON, WHICH HAS FINISHED ALL EXTERIOR WORK AND IS TURNING TO THE INTERIOR. AS WE AWAIT COMPLETION OF THE BUILDING, WE CONTINUE TO PLAN OUR NEW MUSEUM. THE MONTAUK INDIAN MUSEUM: THE MONTAUK INDIAN MUSEUM IS DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE PRE CONTACT HISTORY OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF MONTAUK. IT IS HOME TO FOUR MURALS DEPICTING LIFE IN MONTAUK IN DIFFERENT ERAS BEFORE EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT, ALONG WITH AN EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF POINTS AND TOOLS. THE MONTAUK OCEANS INSTITUTE: THE MONTAUK OCEANS INSTITUTE IS A MUSEUM ON THE LIGHTHOUSE GROUNDS WHOSE AIM IS TO HEIGHTEN AWARENESS OF THE HEALTH OF OUR OCEANS THROUGH EXHIBITS, LECTURES, AND EVENTS. IT IS NOW HOME TO AN INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL AQUARIUM POPULATED BY 18 SPECIES OF MONTAUK UNDERSEA LIFE, WHICH IS A VALUABLE TOOL IN TEACHING AWARENESS OF THE WATERS THAT SURROUND US. THE CARL FISHER HOUSE AND ANNEX: THE CARL FISHER HOUSE AND ANNEX, A HISTORIC PROPERTY BUILT BY DEVELOPER CARL FISHER IN THE MID-1920'S, WAS PURCHASED IN DECEMBER 2021 BY THE TOWN OF EAST HAMPTON WITH COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF HAVING IT PRESERVED AND TURNED INTO A MUSEUM AND HISTORY CENTER. THE MONTAUK HISTORICAL SOCIETY SIGNED A LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR THAT PURPOSE WITH THE TOWN IN 2022. THE HOUSE, WHICH AWAITS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BY THE TOWN, IS CURRENTLY BEING USED AS A MONTAUK HISTORICAL SOCIETY HEADQUARTERS AND ALSO AS A VENUE FOR EXHIBITS AND LECTURES ABOUT LOCAL HISTORY. THE LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM: THE MONTAUK HISTORICAL SOCIETY OWNS AND MAINTAINS THE MONTAUK POINT LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM. THE MONTAUK POINT LIGHTHOUSE HAS LONG BEEN FAMED AS THE SYMBOL OF LONG ISLAND AND ONE OF AMERICA'S OLDEST LIGHTHOUSES. AUTHORIZED IN 1792 BY THE SECOND CONGRESS UNDER PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON, IT WAS BUILT BY NEW YORK ARCHITECT, JOHN MCCOMB, IN 1796. ON MARCH 5, 2012, THE MONTAUK POINT LIGHTHOUSE WAS DESIGNATED A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK, JOINING THE RANKS OF ONLY 11 OTHER LIGHTHOUSES IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE BEEN SO HONORED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR BECAUSE OF THEIR EXCEPTIONAL VALUE IN ILLUSTRATING AND INTERPRETING THE HERITAGE OF OUR NATION. THE LIGHTHOUSE TOWER AND MUSEUM ARE OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND TOURS ARE AVAILABLE FOR SCHOOLS AND OTHER GROUPS. EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS ARE HELD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON THE LIGHTHOUSE GROUNDS. THE LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE 1860 KEEPERS' HOUSE, DISPLAYS AN ASSORTMENT OF HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS AND IS HOME TO SEVERAL UNIQUE COLLECTIONS. IN ADDITION TO THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND DWELLINGS, THE COLLECTION INCLUDES NAUTICAL INSTRUMENTS, SHIP MODELS, FURNITURE, AND WHALING INDUSTRY ARTIFACTS. THERE ARE EXHIBITS SHOWING THE HISTORY OF THE LIGHTHOUSE AND THE EROSION CONTROL EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED OVER THE YEARS. THE LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION FEATURES TWO EXCLUSIVE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS. ONE OF THESE IS THE CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION TO CONSTRUCT A LIGHTHOUSE AT MONTAUK POINT AND IS SIGNED BY THEN SECRETARY OF STATE, THOMAS JEFFERSON. THE OTHER IS THE FEDERAL AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE THE LAND AT MONTAUK POINT FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING A LIGHTHOUSE. THAT DOCUMENT IS SIGNED BY THEN PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON. THE SECOND HOUSE MUSEUM: SECOND HOUSE, BUILT IN 1746 AND REBUILT IN 1797, WAS ORIGINALLY A DWELLING FOR A LIVESTOCK KEEPER AND HIS FAMILY. IT WAS ONE OF ONLY THREE HOUSES THAT EXISTED IN MONTAUK IN THE LATE 18TH AND EARLY 19TH CENTURIES. THE OLDEST AND MOST HISTORIC DWELLING STILL STANDING IN MONTAUK, IT REMAINS THE SUBJECT OF A METICULOUS RESTORATION BY THE TOWN OF EAST HAMPTON, WHICH HAS FINISHED ALL EXTERIOR WORK AND IS TURNING TO THE INTERIOR. AS WE AWAIT COMPLETION OF THE BUILDING, WE CONTINUE TO PLAN OUR NEW MUSEUM. THE MONTAUK INDIAN MUSEUM: THE MONTAUK INDIAN MUSEUM IS DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE PRE CONTACT HISTORY OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF MONTAUK. IT IS HOME TO FOUR MURALS
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 September 1964.
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.
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