Museum of the City of New York
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK FOSTERS UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISTINCTIVE NATURE OF URBAN LIFE IN THE WORLD'S MOST INFLUENTIAL METROPOLIS. IT ENGAGES VISITORS BY CELEBRATING, DOCUMENTING, AND INTERPRETING THE CITY'S PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.
- Income
- $13.4 million
- Spending
- $15.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 11.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 28%
- Employees
- 161
- Volunteers
- 110
- Highest pay
- $508,103, president & director
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
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 17% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 46 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: 95 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2532 of 33 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 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 (3)
- $6.6 million spent. EXHIBITION AND PUBLICATIONS:IN FY25, THE MUSEUM SHOWCASED 10+ SHOWS, INCLUDING OUR PERMANENT EXHIBITIONS, NEW YORK AS ITS CORE, AND TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS BRINGING IN CLOSE TO 185,000 VISITORS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. THROUGH ITS EXHIBITIONS THE MUSEUM FOSTERS UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISTINCTIVE NATURE OF URBAN LIFE IN THE WORLD'S MOST INFLUENTIAL METROPOLIS. EXHIBITIONS THAT HAVE OPENED OR WILL OPEN IN FY26 INCLUDE ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG'S NEW YORK, HE BUILD THIS CITY: JOE MACKEN'S MODEL, SONGS OF NEW YORK: 100 YEARS OF IMAGING THE CITY THROUGH MUSIC.SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATIONTHIS IS NEW YORK - 100 YEARS OF THE CITY IN ART AND POP CULTURE MAY 26, 2023 - JULY 21, 2024IN HONOR OF THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK AS THE CITY'S STORYTELLER, THIS IS NEW YORK: 100 YEARS OF THE CITY IN ART AND POP CULTURE EXPLORES THE MANY WAYS THAT THE CITY HAS INSPIRED STORYTELLING ACROSS ART FORMS. IT FEATURES BOTH FAMOUS AND LESSER-KNOWN DEPICTIONS OF NEW YORK IN FILM AND TELEVISION, VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS, MUSIC, POETRY AND LITERATURE, AND EVEN FASHION, PAINTING A COLLECTIVE, MOVING, AND SOMETIMES FUNNY VERSION OF A CITY THAT HAS CAPTURED THE IMAGINATION OF THE WORLD. THE FULL-FLOOR EXHIBITION IS ORGANIZED AROUND THE TYPES OF URBAN SPACES WHERE THE STORIES OF NEW YORK ARE TOLD. "TEMPO OF THE CITY" EXPLORES THE WAYS IN WHICH ARTISTS HAVE DEPICTED LIFE IN THE CITY'S STREETS AND SUBWAYS, AND THE EMOTIONS THAT THE EXPERIENCE OF JOINING THE PUBLIC CROWD OFTEN EVOKE, WHETHER JOY OR ALIENATION, FEAR OR PRIDE. THE GALLERY ALSO FEATURES "SONGS OF NEW YORK," AN INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION THAT ALLOWS VISITORS TO EXPLORE THE RICHNESS AND DIVERSITY OF EACH BOROUGH THROUGH SONGS IT HAS INSPIRED. IN THE TIFFANY & CO. FOUNDATION GALLERY, "AT HOME IN NEW YORK" SPOTLIGHTS LITERATURE AND ART WORKS THAT ANIMATE THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF MAKING A HOME IN A CITY OF EIGHT MILLION PEOPLE. THE THIRD GALLERY, "DESTINATION: NYC," SHOWCASES WORK ABOUT THE CITY'S SPACES FOR GATHERING AND SPECTACLE, ITS DYNAMIC UNIQUE NIGHTLIFE SPOTS, AS WELL AS ITS ICONIC PARKS AND WATERFRONTS. A SPECIAL GALLERY, "YOU ARE HERE," DEDICATED TO NEW YORK ON FILM, PROVIDES AN IMMERSIVE 16-SCREEN EXPERIENCE DRAWN FROM HUNDREDS OF MOVIES ABOUT THE CITY MADE OVER THE PAST CENTURY. THE FILM IMMERSIVE ALSO INCLUDES AN INTRODUCTORY INSTALLATION, "SCENES FROM THE CITY" WHICH EXPLORES HOW NEW YORK HAS BEEN USED AS A MOVIE SET FOR THE PAST CENTURY. "YOU ARE HERE" DRAWS ON THE RICH ARCHIVE OF MOVIES SET IN NEW YORK, COMBINING THOUSANDS OF CINEMATIC MOMENTS ACROSS 16 SCREENS. SOURCES INCLUDE HOLLYWOOD BLOCKBUSTERS, INDEPENDENT FILMS, DOCUMENTARIES, AND EXPERIMENTAL WORKS. BY JUXTAPOSING THESE MULTIPLE VISIONS, THE DAZZLING MONTAGES OF "YOU ARE HERE" MAKE CONNECTIONS AND CONTRASTS THAT ALLOW MOVIES TO COMMENT ON EACH OTHER ACROSS TIME AND SPACE. TOGETHER, THEY SHED NEW LIGHT ON THE VARIED NEW YORKS OF OUR COLLECTIVE IMAGINATION.BYZANTINE BEMB - NEW YORK BY MANNY VEGA DECEMBER 8, 2023 - JANUARY 6, 2025THE EXPERIENCE OF WALKING EL BARRIO THE MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK'S OWN NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD BE VASTLY DIFFERENT WITHOUT THE ARTWORKS OF MANNY VEGA (B. BRONX, 1956). HIS MOSAICS AND MURALS ADORN STREET WALLS, SUBWAY STATIONS, CULTURAL CENTERS, AND BUSINESS FACADES THROUGHOUT EAST HARLEM. MANY OF THESE WORKS CELEBRATE IMPORTANT FIGURESPARTICULARLY WOMENIN THE HISTORY OF THE PUERTO RICAN AND LATINX COMMUNITIES. VEGA HAS PROVEN HIMSELF DEFT AT NEGOTIATING THE SOPHISTICATED TASTES AND APPETITE FOR SPECTACLE OF AN EXTREMELY DIVERSE AND FAST-MOVING POPULATION. HIS STYLE HAS BEEN DUBBED "BYZANTINE HIP-HOP" FOR HIS UNCOMPROMISING TECHNICAL COMMAND THAT ENCOMPASSES ANCIENT MEDITERRANEAN MOSAIC-MAKING AND THE ELECTRIFYING LINES OF HYPER-DETAILED SHARPIE PEN-AND-INK DRAWINGS. AS PART OF THE MUSEUM'S CENTENNIAL YEAR CELEBRATION, BYZANTINE BEMB: NEW YORK BY MANNY VEGA EXPLORED VEGA'S VISUAL STORYTELLING AND INTERWEAVED COMMUNITY STORIES WITH THEMES THAT RANGED FROM AFRICAN DEITIES TO URBAN MYTHOLOGIES, SPANNING THE PERSONAL AND THE COLLECTIVE. DEEPLY ROOTED IN AN IDIOSYNCRATIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIASPORA EXPERIENCE, WHICH IN HIS CASE INCLUDES COMMUNITIES IN EL BRONX, EL BARRIO, AND BAHIA, BRAZIL, VEGA'S WORLDVIEW IS COLORFUL, DANCEABLE, PASSIONATELY SPIRITUAL, AND COMPLEX-YET-ACCESSIBLE. THE SHOW MARKS THE MUSEUM'S COMMITMENT TO ITS THRIVING NEIGHBORHOOD AS IT LOOKS AHEAD TO ITS NEXT ONE HUNDRED YEARS.GINGERBREAD NYC 2024 - THE GREAT BOROUGH BAKE-OFF NOVEMBER 8, 2024 JANUARY 12, 2025FAMOUS LANDMARKS AND ICONS OF NEW YORK CITY-- LOVINGLY RECREATED IN GINGERBREAD. FROM ICE SKATING IN THE PARKS ACROSS THE FIVE BOROUGHS TO HOLIDAY DISPLAYS IN DEPARTMENT STORE WINDOWS, NOWHERE IS MORE ICONIC THAN THE CITY IN WINTER. NOW, SWEET DETAILS AND TASTY HISTORY COMBINE IN A MINIATURE FROSTED CITYSCAPE FOR OUR THIRD ANNUAL BAKE-OFF. THE MUSEUM INVITED BAKERS FROM ACROSS THE FIVE BOROUGHS TO CREATE GINGERBREAD DISPLAYS ON THE THEME OF "ICONIC NEW YORK" CREATING DISTINCTIVE BUILDINGS, PLACES, OR THINGS THAT REPRESENT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, COMMUNITY, OR BOROUGH. ART DECO CITY: NEW YORK POSTCARDS FROM THE LEONARD A. LAUDER COLLECTION SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 FEBRUARY 17, 2025DURING THE 1920S AND '30S, THE BOLD NEW LOOK OF ART DECO HERALDED NEW YORK'S ARRIVAL AS A COSMOPOLITAN METROPOLIS: A CENTER OF ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, FASHION, AND CULTURE STEALING THE SPOTLIGHT FROM THE GREAT EUROPEAN CAPITALS. AT THE SAME TIME, THE PICTURE POSTCARD, A FORM OF MODERN COMMUNICATION, TRANSMITTED VIBRANT IMAGES AND MESSAGES AROUND THE GLOBE. ART DECO CITY: NEW YORK POSTCARDS FROM THE LEONARD A. LAUDER COLLECTION ILLUMINATED THE KEY ROLE POSTCARDS PLAYED IN TRANSFORMING NEW YORK INTO AN INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL DURING THE INTERWAR YEARS. FEATURING OVER 250 POSTCARDS AS WELL AS DECORATIVE ARTS, FASHION, PHOTOGRAPHY, DRAWINGS, AND ARCHITECTURAL MODELS, ART DECO CITY IMMERSED VISITORS IN THE DAZZLING STYLE THAT DEFINED THE MODERN CITY. THE EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS THE
- $3.4 million spent. COLLECTIONS CARE:DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 (FY25), THE COLLECTION'S DEPARTMENT CONTINUED ITS FOCUS ON CARING FOR AND MANAGING THE DIVERSE COLLECTIONS OF OVER 750,000 WORKS HELD BY THE MUSEUM. THE NUMEROUS TASKS PERFORMED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF NINE PEOPLE INCLUDE ATTENDING TO INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL REQUESTS, OVERSEEING NEW ACQUISITIONS (DONATIONS AND PURCHASES), UPDATING THE COLLECTION DATABASE AND ONLINE PORTAL, PROCESSING AND ADMINISTERING PHOTOGRAPHY REQUESTS, BUILDING AND MANAGING THE SHELBY WHITE & LEON LEVY INSTITUTIONAL ARCHIVE, AND OVERSEEING MCNY EXHIBITION INSTALLATIONS AS WELL AS INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL LOAN REQUESTS. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATIONTHE COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT SUPPORTS THE COLLECTION COMMITTEE AND PREPARES MATERIALS FOR THEIR REGULAR MEETINGS. THE TEAM ALSO SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WITH GRANT APPLICATIONS RELATED TO COLLECTION CARE.IN FY25, THE COLLECTION DEPARTMENT OVERSAW THE INSTALLATION AND DEINSTALLATION OF WORKS IN THE COLLECTION AND ON LOAN FOR THE FOLLOWING TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS AT MCNY: THE STETTHEIMER DOLLHOUSE IN A NEW LIGHT; ART DECO CITY: NEW YORK POSTCARDS FROM THE LEONARD A. LAUDER COLLECTION; SONGS OF NEW YORK: 100 YEARS OF IMAGINING THE CITY THROUGH MUSIC; ABOVE GROUND: ART FROM THE MARTIN WONG GRAFFITI COLLECTION; URBAN STOMP: DREAMS & DEFIANCE ON THE DANCE FLOOR; AS WELL AS ROTATIONS FOR THE ON-GOING EXHIBITIONS, ACTIVIST NEW YORK AND NEW YORK AT ITS CORE: PORT CITY AND WORLD CITY. THIS YEAR, THE MUSEUM ALSO LENT TWENTY-FOUR WORKS TO EXHIBITIONS AT FOUR INSTITUTIONS. THE COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT CONTINUED ITS SUPPORT OF THE ROBUST ACQUISITION PROGRAM, WHICH IN FY25 INCLUDED 220 WORKS THROUGH DONATIONS AND PURCHASING. RIGHTS & REPRODUCTIONS, A DIVISION OF THE COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT, BROUGHT $78,571 IN FY25. THE DISTRIBUTION OF IMAGES OF THE COLLECTION AND ADDITION OF NEW PHOTOGRAPHY ON THE PORTAL ALSO HELPS TO MAKE THE COLLECTION MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE WIDER PUBLIC.
- $1.7 million spent. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS:IN FY25, THE SCHWARZ CENTER CONTINUED ITS REBUILD AND EXPANSION THAT BEGAN IN FY24. THE CENTER COMPLETED THE REBUILDING OF ITS TEACHING TEAM AND BEGAN STRENGTHENING ITS CORE PROGRAMMING. IN FY2025, THE SCHWARZ EDUCATION CENTER SERVED 38,424 STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND FAMILY VISITORS THROUGH FIELD TRIPS, FAMILY ACTIVITIES, AND TEACHER PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, EXCEEDING OUR FY24 TOTAL NUMBER SERVED BY 19%.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE OEDUCATION REMAINS A CORE COMPONENT OF THE MUSEUM'S MISSION. THE MUSEUM'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS COMPLEMENT CLASSROOM LEARNING AND INTENTIONALLY ALIGN WITH COMMON CORE STANDARDS, NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS SCOPE AND SEQUENCE GUIDELINES, AND THE NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS CIVICS FOR ALL PROJECT. THE SCHWARZ CENTER COMPLETED OVER 900 FIELD TRIPS, OFFERED IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH. THESE 6090 MINUTE EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES PK12 USE INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING AND HANDS-ON ENGAGEMENT WITH ARTIFACTS AND PRIMARY SOURCES FROM OUR EXHIBITIONS AND COLLECTIONS. THEY SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS' SKILLS IN HISTORICAL THINKING, ARTIFACT ANALYSIS, AND VISUAL INQUIRY, AND ENGAGE LEARNERS IN EXAMINING THE CITY'S PAST SO THEY MAY UNDERSTAND THE PRESENT AND ENVISION THEIR ROLE IN SHAPING THE FUTURE. BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS OF THE FY24 PILOT OF BILINGUAL FIELD TRIPS FOR BYZANTINE BEMB: NEW YORK BY MANNY VEGA, WE EXPANDED OUR BILINGUAL OFFERINGS TO INCLUDE ALL FIELD TRIP OPTIONS.THE SCHWARZ CENTER SERVES PK12 EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS THROUGH LECTURES, WORKSHOPS, COURSES, AND COLLABORATIONS WITH NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IN FY25, ALL BUT ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS, A CREDIT-BEARING COURSE, WERE FREE TO PARTICIPANTS. IN FY2025, THE MUSEUM SERVED 1,600 EDUCATORS THROUGH 41 PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROGRAMS, WHICH INCLUDED BOTH SINGLE-DAY EVENTS AND MULTI-SESSION SERIES. THE MUSEUM IS AN ACCREDITED PROVIDER OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING WITH BOTH NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, ENABLING ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS TO RECEIVE CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS. THE MUSEUM HAS LONG SERVED AS A STEADFAST RESOURCE FOR THE CITY'S TEACHERS, AND PROGRAMMING THIS PAST YEAR CONTINUED TO OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE MUSEUM'S CONTENT, SCHOLARSHIP, AND LEADERSHIP.FY2025 ALSO SAW THE MUSEUM DEEPEN ITS COMMITMENT TO PROGRAMMING FOR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NYC DISCOVERY LAB, AN INTERACTIVE ACTIVITY STATION DESIGNED TO SUPPORT FAMILY ENGAGEMENT WITH COLLECTION- AND EXHIBITION-CONNECTED CONTENT. THESE WEEKEND DROP-IN ACTIVITIES PAIRED WITH STORYTIME PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY DAYS, AND OUTREACH EVENTS DEMONSTRATED THE MUSEUM'S COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING NEW YORK CITY YOUTH, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES IN WAYS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE, EQUITABLE, CREATIVE, AND ENGAGING. THIS YEAR, THE MUSEUM REACHED 12,307 PEOPLE THROUGH ON-SITE AND OFF-SITE FAMILY PROGRAMS.
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
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 November 6, 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 June 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 August 1942.
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 November 4, 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.