New Museum of Contemporary Art
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O.
- Income
- $25.7 million
- Spending
- $18.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 0.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 83%
- Employees
- 149
- Volunteers
- 53
- Highest pay
- $874,548, toby devan lewis 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
Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 27% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 16% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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 2551 of 51 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 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)
- $9.3 million spent. EXHIBITIONS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS REFLECT THE NEW MUSEUM'S ENDURING COMMITMENT TO ENCOURAGING NEW WORK BY A DIVERSE RANGE OF EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS. PROGRAMS CHANGE REGULARLY AND ENCAPSULATE THE NEW MUSEUM'S PHILOSOPHY OF OPENNESS AND FEARLESSNESS, AS WELL AS OUR HISTORY, AS THE HOME OF SOCIALLY COMMITTED CONTEMPORARY ART. (Expenses $ 1,907,791 including grants of $)(Revenue $ 837,738) BOOKSTORE & OTHER
- $2.1 million spent. NEW INC, THE FIRST MUSEUM-LED INCUBATOR, IS A SHARED WORKSPACE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM DESIGNED TO SUPPORT CREATIVE PRACTITIONERS WORKING IN THE AREAS OF ART, TECHNOLOGY, AND DESIGN.
- $1.8 million spent. THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT SEASONS, THE NEW MUSEUM'S PUBLIC PROGRAMMING CONNECTS VARIOUS PROJECTS IN THE MUSEUM, THEATER, 5TH FLOOR GALLERY, AND RESOURCE CENTER AROUND A NEW ORGANIZING THEME EACH FALL AND SPRING. ADDITIONALLY, A WIDE RANGE OF EXHIBITION-RELATED PROGRAMS INCLUDE FILM SCREENINGS, TALKS WITH ARTISTS AND SCHOLARS, CONFERENCES, PERFORMANCES, AND LIVE MUSIC THAT TAKES PLACE IN THE NEW MUSEUM THEATER. (Expenses $ 1,907,791 including grants of $)(Revenue $ 837,738) BOOKSTORE & OTHER
- $1.9 million spent. BOOKSTORE & OTHER
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 November 1979.
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.