Seaport Museum New York
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O.
- Income
- $8.0 million
- Spending
- $5.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 69%
- Reserves
- -2.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 44%
- Employees
- 84
- Volunteers
- 8
- Highest pay
- $263,109, president & ceo
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
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 11% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 27% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 23% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1569% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 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, 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 (4)
- $2.3 million spent. SCHOOL AND PUBLIC EVENTSTHE SEAPORT MUSEUM WELCOMED OVER 84,936 VISITORS IN 2024. OVER 200 FREE PUBLIC PROGRAMS ENGAGED 27,408 INDIVIDUALS IN CONVERSATIONS, WORKSHOPS, AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCES. HIGHLIGHTS IN 2024 INCLUDED A COLLABORATION WITH NY CHINESE CULTURAL CENTER ON A LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION; A SERIES OF SITE-SPECIFIC PERFORMANCES THROUGHOUT THE SSSM CAMPUS AS A PART OF THE RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL; AN INSTALLATION OF CLIMATE THEMED PUBLIC ART, AS A PART OF CITY OF WATER DAY; A MONTHLY SEA SHANTY MORE HANDS-ON FAMILY ACTIVITIES, SPECIAL CULTURAL EVENTS, AND MORE. SCHOOL-AGE FIELD TRIPS CONTINUED THROUGHOUT 2024, WELCOMING 5,810 K-12 STUDENTS AND THEIR EDUCATORS TO FIELD TRIPS DOCKSIDE ON PIER 16 AND IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
- $904,496 spent. MARINE OPERATIONSFOUR HISTORIC VESSELS WERE VISITED BY 35,209 INDIVIDUALS, WHO EXPLORED PERMANENTLY MOORED VESSELS 1885 CARGO SHIP WAVERTREE AND 1908 LIGHTSHIP AMBROSE AND SAILED IN NYC'S EAST RIVER ABOARD 1885 SCHOONER PIONEER AND 1930 TUGBOAT W.O. DECKER.
- $357,525 spent. MUSEUM SHOPAT THE 19TH CENTURY RECREATED PRINT SHOP BOWNE & CO. STATIONERS, MASTER PRINTERS OFFERED PRINTING DEMONSTRATIONS AND WORKSHOPS FOR 20,683 VISITORS.
- $444,704 spent. CURATORIAL19,753 VISITORS WERE WELCOMED AT INDOOR EXHIBITIONS AT SCHERMERHORN ROW, WHICH IN 2024 INCLUDED "SOUTH STREET AND THE RISE OF NEW YORK; AND "MILLIONS: MIGRANTS AND MILLIONAIRES ABOARD THE GREAT LINERS, 1900-1914." AT THE 19TH CENTURY RECREATED PRINT SHOP BOWNE & CO. STATIONERS, MASTER PRINTERS OFFERED PRINTING DEMONSTRATIONS AND WORKSHOPS FOR 20,683 VISITORS.EXHIBITIONS:19,753 VISITORS WERE WELCOMED AT INDOOR EXHIBITIONS AT SCHERMERHORN ROW, WHICH IN 2024 INCLUDED "SOUTH STREET AND THE RISE OF NEW YORK; AND "MILLIONS: MIGRANTS AND MILLIONAIRES ABOARD THE GREAT LINERS, 1900-1914."
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 March 1989.
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.