Georgia Museums Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
GEORGIA MUSEUMS, INC. IS A GEORGIA NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WHICH OPERATES THE BARTOW HISTORY MUSEUM ("BHM"), BOOTH WESTERN ART MUSEUM, TELLUS SCIENCE MUSEUM AND SAVOY AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM. THE BOOTH EDUCATES, ENTERTAINS AND INSPIRES GROWTH THROUGH THE EXPLORATION OF WESTERN ART, POPULAR CULTURE, AND AMERICAN HERITAGE IN A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT. THE BHM'S MISSION IS TO PRESERVE BARTOW COUNTY'S HISTORY, EDUCATE A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF STUDENTS AND VISITORS ABOUT ITS UNIQUE HERITAGE, AND TO CELEBRATE ITS SENSE OF PLACE THROUGH EXHIBITS, PROGRAMS AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES PRESENTED IN AN ENGAGING AND PLEASANT MANNER. TELLUS' MISSION IS "BECAUSE SCIENCE MATTERS, WE ENGAGE, EDUCATE AND INSPIRE VISITORS TO MAKE SCIENTIFIC CONNECTIONS THROUGH DYNAMIC EXHIBITS AND ENRICHING EXPERIENCES." THE MISSION OF SAVOY AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM IS TO "PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR VISITORS TO EXPLORE THE HISTORY AND DIVERSITY OF AUTOMOBILES THROUGH CHANGING EXHIBITS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND ENGAGING EXPERIENCES."
- Income
- $13.3 million
- Spending
- $9.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- 53.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 56%
- Employees
- 254
- Volunteers
- 273
- Highest pay
- $210,536, executive director - booth
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
Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 53.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 29% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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
Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
5 of 251 of 4 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
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 (4)
- $2.2 million spent. Booth Western Art Museum is a 120,000 square-foot museum with galleries of western contemporary art. Additional galleries feature Presidential letters and photographs, American West art, and fine art photography. In addition to the permanent galleries, there are four galleries with temporary exhibits. Booth offers evening lectures, art for lunch programs, and art classes at the nearby Booth Art Academy regularly during the year. The museum also has a nearby satellite gallery that sells artwork from local artists, as well as prints, posters, and books. During fiscal year 2025, 35,886 individuals visited the museum. During the school year 2024-2025, 16,639 students participated in an educational program or experience. The Booth Western Art Museum has 1,572 active members.
- $2.7 million spent. Tellus Science Museum, a 120,000 square-foot museum dedicated to science, has a mineral gallery, fossil gallery, interactive children's science gallery, transportation gallery, gem panning area, and a fossil dig area. Within the museum there are three temporary exhibit galleries hosting changing exhibits during the year. In addition, there is a digital planetarium with shows throughout the day. Visitors can also visit the solar house and other outdoor exhibits. In fiscal year 2025, Tellus had 150,003 visitors, including 15,828 people seeing a planetarium show. During the school year 2024-2025, 43,474 students participated in student educational programs. Tellus Science Museum has 3,606 active members.
- $1.7 million spent. Savoy Automobile Museum celebrates automobiles throughout the 66,000 square foot museum with one permanent gallery as well as three temporary galleries with changing exhibits such as women in motorsports, 75 Years of Porsche, etc. The museum hosted one local car show this past year. There is a beautiful artwork collection that celebrates automobiles located throughout the facility. An additional 34,000 square-foot storage building on the campus houses permanent collection vehicles when not on exhibit. During the fiscal year 2025, 66,718 individuals visited the museum. Savoy Museum has 3,112 active members.
- Bartow History Museum is a 10,000 square-foot museum located in a restored 1869 courthouse in Downtown Cartersville. Visitors have the opportunity to learn about the local history in Bartow County and surrounding area through exhibits featuring artifacts that trace more than 200 years of human activity. Changing exhibits, educational programs, lectures, and workshops throughout the year, help tell the story as well. Near the museum is the archives and research library, which is open for public research. During fiscal year 2025, 4,127 individuals visited the museum and/or archives. During the 2024-2025 school year, 5,720 students participated in student educational programs. The Bartow History Museum has 600 active members.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 2004.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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