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Shaker Museum and Library

EIN 14-1364601 · Old Chatham, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair58 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SHAKER MUSEUM ELEVATES SHAKER MATERIAL CULTURE TO ANIMATE SHAKER VALUES AND BELIEFS AND INSPIRE INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES TO DEEPEN BONDS AND SEEK MEANINGFUL APPROACHES TO SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND SPIRITUAL ISSUES.

Income
$2.3 million
Spending
$1.5 million
Spent on programs
51%
Reserves
-17.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 96%
Employees
12
Volunteers
20
Highest pay
$209,680, 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

Fair: 58 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

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

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 35% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 108% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    51% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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 25

    20 of 20 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 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 (3)
  1. $319,788 spent. COLLECTIONS CARE AND STEWARDSHIP - WITH MORE THAN 18,000 OBJECTS, SHAKER MUSEUM STEWARDS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF SHAKER MATERIAL CULTURE AND ARCHIVES. THE MUSEUM'S EXTENSIVE COLLECTION AND ARCHIVE OF SHAKER MANUSCRIPTS, IMPRINTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, EPHEMERA, AND SECONDARY SHAKER MUSEUM AND LIBRARY RESEARCH MATERIALS ATTRACT VISITORS AND RESEARCHERS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD. THE MUSEUM ENCOURAGES AND SUPPORTS STUDY AND RESEARCH IN THE COLLECTION, AS WELL AS ITS INTERPRETATION, THROUGH EXHIBITIONS ORGANIZED BY THE MUSEUM AND IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS AND THROUGH LOANS TO OTHER INSTITUTIONS. MUSEUM STAFF ALSO RESPOND TO INQUIRIES FROM RESEARCHERS AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT SHAKER HISTORY AND OBJECT PROVENANCE. SHAKER MUSEUM'S COLLECTION IS DISPLAYED ON ITS WEBSITE, SHAKERMUSEUM.US, WITH BOTH INFORMATION AND IMAGES IN AN ONLINE DATABASE THAT IS FREE AND FULLY PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE. COLLECTIONS CARE AND STEWARDSHIP - WITH MORE THAN 18,000 OBJECTS, SHAKER MUSEUM STEWARDS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF SHAKER MATERIAL CULTURE AND ARCHIVES. THE MUSEUM'S EXTENSIVE COLLECTION AND ARCHIVE OF SHAKER MANUSCRIPTS, IMPRINTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, EPHEMERA, AND SECONDARY SHAKER MUSEUM AND LIBRARY RESEARCH MATERIALS ATTRACT VISITORS AND RESEARCHERS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD. THE MUSEUM ENCOURAGES AND SUPPORTS STUDY AND RESEARCH IN THE COLLECTION, AS WELL AS ITS INTERPRETATION, THROUGH EXHIBITIONS ORGANIZED BY THE MUSEUM AND IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS AND THROUGH LOANS TO OTHER INSTITUTIONS. MUSEUM STAFF ALSO RESPOND TO INQUIRIES FROM RESEARCHERS AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT SHAKER HISTORY AND OBJECT PROVENANCE. SHAKER MUSEUM'S COLLECTION IS DISPLAYED ON ITS WEBSITE, SHAKERMUSEUM.US, WITH BOTH INFORMATION AND IMAGES IN AN ONLINE DATABASE THAT IS FREE AND FULLY PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE.
  2. $322,453 spent. EXHIBITIONS, TOURS, AND WORKSHOPS - SHAKER MUSEUM IS IN THE PROCESS OF RENOVATING AND BUILDING AN EXPANSIVE NEW FACILITY DESIGNED BY SELDORF ARCHITECTS. THE PHYSICAL BUILDING WILL EMBODY SHAKER VALUES OF INCLUSION, INNOVATION, AND EQUALITY TO CREATE A MUSEUM THAT SHOWCASES SHAKER MUSEUM'S COLLECTION, HOSTS EXHIBITIONS, TELLS THE SHAKER STORY, AND IS RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. WHILE THE MUSEUM IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THE COLLECTIONS ARE ACCESSIBLE ONLINE, THROUGH GUIDED TOURS OF THE STORAGE AREA, AND IN EXHIBITIONS AT TEMPORARY "POP-UP" LOCATIONS. PROGRAMS AND WORKSHOPS ALSO CONNECT SHAKER MUSEUM WITH THE PUBLIC.
  3. $128,628 spent. HISTORICAL SITE PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION - SHAKER MUSEUM STEWARDS THE NORTH FAMILY HISTORIC SITE AT MOUNT LEBANON. FOUNDED IN 1787, MOUNT LEBANON WAS THE FIRST OFFICIAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZED BY THE SHAKERS AND WAS THE LEADER IN ADMINISTRATIVE AND SPIRITUAL MATTERS FOR ALL THE SHAKER COMMUNITIES THAT EMERGED THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND AND SOUTH AND WEST INTO KENTUCKY, OHIO, AND FLORIDA. ITS COMMUNITY PLANNING, ARCHITECTURE, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ENDEAVORS, AS WELL AS ITS SPIRITUAL PRACTICES, BECAME MODELS FOR THE OTHER SHAKER VILLAGES. AT ITS PEAK IN THE MID-19TH CENTURY, MOUNT LEBANON SPANNED OVER 6,000 ACRES AND AROUND 600 PEOPLE LIVED AND WORKED IN HUNDREDS OF BUILDINGS. WITHIN THIS CENTRAL COMMUNITY THE SHAKERS DEVELOPED THEIR PROGRESSIVE IDEAS ON GENDER EQUALITY, RACIAL EQUALITY, PACIFISM, COMMUNAL PROPERTY, THE VALUE OF LABOR, AND SUSTAINABILITY. THEY ALSO ESTABLISHED THE NOW FAMOUS SHAKER AESTHETIC OF SIMPLICITY, EXPRESSED IN THEIR OBJECTS, FURNITURE, BUILDINGS, AND VILLAGE PLANNING. TODAY VISITORS TO THE NORTH FAMILY ENCOUNTER 10 ORIGINAL SHAKER BUILDINGS ON 91 ACRES. VISITORS ARE WELCOME YEAR-ROUND, WEATHER PERMITTING, TO STROLL THE GROUNDS, HIKE THE NORTH PASTURE TRAIL, OR HAVE A PICNIC IN THE MEADOW. HISTORICAL SITE PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION - SHAKER MUSEUM STEWARDS THE NORTH FAMILY HISTORIC SITE AT MOUNT LEBANON. FOUNDED IN 1787, MOUNT LEBANON WAS THE FIRST OFFICIAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZED BY THE SHAKERS AND WAS THE LEADER IN ADMINISTRATIVE AND SPIRITUAL MATTERS FOR ALL THE SHAKER COMMUNITIES THAT EMERGED THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND AND SOUTH AND WEST INTO KENTUCKY, OHIO, AND FLORIDA. ITS COMMUNITY PLANNING, ARCHITECTURE, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ENDEAVORS, AS WELL AS ITS SPIRITUAL PRACTICES, BECAME MODELS FOR THE OTHER SHAKER VILLAGES. AT ITS PEAK IN THE MID-19TH CENTURY, MOUNT LEBANON SPANNED OVER 6,000 ACRES AND AROUND 600 PEOPLE LIVED AND WORKED IN HUNDREDS OF BUILDINGS. WITHIN THIS CENTRAL COMMUNITY THE SHAKERS DEVELOPED THEIR PROGRESSIVE IDEAS ON GENDER EQUALITY, RACIAL EQUALITY, PACIFISM, COMMUNAL PROPERTY, THE VALUE OF LABOR, AND SUSTAINABILITY. THEY ALSO ESTABLISHED THE NOW FAMOUS SHAKER AESTHETIC OF SIMPLICITY, EXPRESSED IN THEIR OBJECTS, FURNITURE, BUILDINGS, AND VILLAGE PLANNING. TODAY VISITORS TO THE NORTH FAMILY ENCOUNTER 10 ORIGINAL SHAKER BUILDINGS ON 91 ACRES. VISITORS ARE WELCOME YEAR-ROUND, WEATHER PERMITTING, TO STROLL THE GROUNDS, HIKE THE NORTH PASTURE TRAIL, OR HAVE A PICNIC IN THE MEADOW.

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

  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 December 2024.

    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 April 1953.

    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.