Antique Boat Museum
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO COLLECT, PRESERVE, INTERPRET AND CELEBRATE BOATS AND RELATED ARTIFACTS TO ADVANCE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BOATING TO THE CULTURAL HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA AND THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER IN PARTICULAR.
- Income
- $5.0 million
- Spending
- $2.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 4.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 75%
- Employees
- 37
- Volunteers
- 100
- Highest pay
- $141,316, executive director
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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 52% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 131% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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 2517 of 17 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 (1)
- $1.8 million spent. THE MISSION OF THE ANTIQUE BOAT MUSEUM IS STATED IN ITEM 1 OF PART III ABOVE. THE ANTIQUE BOAT MUSEUM WAS FOUNDED MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO AND CURRENTLY OCCUPIES A 4.5 ACRE WATERFRONT CAMPUS IN CLAYTON, NEW YORK. ITS FACILITIES INCLUDE TEN BUILDINGS PROVIDING A TOTAL OF 29,000 SQUARE FEET OF EXHIBITION SPACE AND 33,000 SQUARE FEET OF PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, COLLECTION, STORAGE, ARCHIVES, LIBRARY AND ADMINISTRATIVE SPACE. IN ADDITION, THE ANTIQUE BOAT MUSEUM HAS TWO ADDITIONAL OFF-SITE STORAGE LOCATIONS, WITH A 20,000 SQUARE FOOT BOAT STORAGE FACILITY LOCATED ON EAST LINE ROAD IN CLAYTON AND A COMPLEX OF 13,000 SQUARE FEET AT BARTLETT POINT, BOTH OF WHICH ARE A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE MAIN CAMPUS. THE ANTIQUE BOAT MUSEUM CURRENTLY HAS THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF FRESH WATER BOATS IN NORTH AMERICA AND ATTRACTS APPROXIMATELY 30,000 VISITORS EACH YEAR. THROUGH PUBLIC PROGRAMS, THE VAST COLLECTION, EXHIBITS, EVENTS AND THE ANTIQUE BOAT MUSEUM'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND OUTREACH, IT PROVIDES A CONNECTION NOT ONLY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, BUT BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND VISITORS TO THE REGION. THIS PROVIDES A FOUNDATION FOR UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATING THE RICH HISTORY OF BOATING AND BOATING'S PLACE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGION AND THE COUNTRY WHETHER FOR COMMERCIAL, PUBLIC OR PERSONAL PURPOSES. THIS HISTORY INCLUDES THE STORIES AND CULTURES OF THE PEOPLE WHO DESIGNED, BUILT, OWNED, SAILED AND MAINTAINED THESE VESSELS FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO THE PRESENT DAY. THE THREE LARGEST PROGRAM SERVICES IN TERMS OF EXPENSE ARE COLLECTIONS AND EXHIBITS $748,753; MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS $383,572; AND EDUCATION $217,064.
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 February 1987.
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.