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Liberty Science Center Inc

EIN 22-2302253 · Jersey City, NJ

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair61 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE O

Income
$39.7 million
Spending
$33.3 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
-3.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 41%
Employees
290
Volunteers
55
Highest pay
$1.2 million, president & ceo

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: 61 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

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

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 19% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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 25

    25 of 25 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 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 (2)
  1. $25.4 million spent. LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER HAS BROAD AMBITIONS AND SOUND STRATEGIES TO CHANGE THE FACE OF SCIENCE EDUCATION IN NEW JERSEY AND BEYOND. IN ADDITION TO ITS ENGAGING EXHIBITION AND THEATER OFFERINGS, AN IMPORTANT TOOL IN ACHIEVING THAT OBJECTIVE IS THE CENTER FOR LEARNING AND TEACHING. THE 19,000-SQUARE-FOOT FACILITY IS DEDICATED TO DELIVERING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS, GUESTS, TEACHERS, AND VISITORS. IT IS THE HOME OF LSC'S INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED "LIVE FROM SURGERY" PROGRAM, WHERE STUDENTS OBSERVE AND DISCUSS PROCEDURES AND RISK FACTORS WITH OPERATING STAFF VIA VIDEOCONFERENCING DURING LIVE SURGERY. IT ALSO FEATURES SEVEN WORKING LABS INCLUDING THE MAKERLAB, AS WELL AS THE STUDIO FOR ELECTRONIC FIELD TRIPS. IN THIS SPACE, LSC PROVIDES OUTSTANDING AND AFFORDABLE EDUCATOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. SCHOOL RESIDENCIES ARE AVAILABLE THERE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS, HOME SCHOOLERS, AND OTHER STUDENTS. LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER ALSO CONDUCTS CURRICULUM-LINKED ONSITE, OFFSITE, AND ONLINE PROGRAMS INCLUDING FIELD TRIPS, CLASSROOM AND LAB INSTRUCTION, INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMS IN BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL SETTINGS, TRAVELING SCIENCE PRESENTATIONS, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD SCIENCE PROGRAMMING. THE INSTITUTION ANNUALLY HOSTS HUNDREDS OF PRIVATE EVENTS FROM BIRTHDAY PARTIES TO HIGH-END PRODUCT LAUNCHES, HOSTS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES, AND SHOWCASES PUBLIC SCIENCE- AND TECHNOLOGY- RELATED EVENTS FROM ROBOTICS COMPETITIONS TO LIVE ANIMAL SHOWS TO ROCKETRY LESSONS.
  2. $645,034 spent. LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER'S SCITECH SCITY WILL BE A "BUSINESS OPTIMIZER", A NEW BREED OF INNOVATION CENTER THAT MAXIMIZES COMMERCIAL SUCCESS AND SOCIAL IMPACT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STARTUPS. THE WORD SCITY (PRONOUNCED "CITY"), FROM SCIENCE + CITY, IS LSC'S PORTMANTEAU FOR A CITY INFUSED WITH SCIENTIFIC CREATIVITY AND ACTIONABLE OPTIMISM ABOUT BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL OF US. ENVISAGED AS A SMALL-SCALE "CITY OF TOMORROW", SCITECH SCITY ASPIRES TO BE AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED COMMUNITY WHERE BUSINESSES TEST - AND RESIDENTS AND VISITORS EXPERIENCE - NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES BEFORE THEY COME TO MARKET. THE 30-ACRE INNOVATION CAMPUS WILL CONSIST OF: LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER, THE MOST VISITED CULTURAL INSTITUTION IN NEW JERSEY AND THE LARGEST IMMERSIVE SCIENCE LEARNING CENTER IN THE NJ-NYC METROPOLITAN AREA, EDGE WORKS, THE ECONOMIC AND CREATIVE HUB FOR SCITECH SCITY CONSISTING OF 120,000 SQUARE FEET OF MULTI-FUNCTION WORKSPACE FOR TECHNOLOGY STARTUPS, ENTREPRENEURS AND SKUNK WORKS PROJECTS OF ESTABLISHED COMPANIES, AND A STATE-OF-THE-ART CONFERENCE CENTER AND TECH EXHIBITION SPACE; LIBERTY SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL, A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE-INTERESTED STUDENTS IN HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, SCHOLARS VILLAGE, RESIDENTIAL HOUSING FOR ENTREPRENEURS, TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND TECH-SAVVY FAMILIES, AND A PUBLIC COMMONS AND PLAZA, CONSISTING OF A LARGE OUTDOOR AREA AND COMMON AREA SPACE FOR SOCIALIZING AND ENJOYMENT THAT WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

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

  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 June 2025.

    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 December 1982.

    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.