Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION IS "TO UNDERSTAND THE NATURAL WORLD AND INSPIRE EVERYONE TO CARE FOR IT." THE ACADEMY IMPLEMENTS ITS MISSION THROUGH UNDERSTANDING THE DIVERSITY OF LIFE; DEVELOPING AND APPLYING SCIENCE TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT; AND INFORMING AND BUILDING A MOVEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTALLY ENGAGED COMMUNITIES FOR A HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE PLANET.
- Income
- $25.8 million
- Spending
- $23.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 70%
- Reserves
- -2.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 48%
- Employees
- 237
- Volunteers
- 217
- Highest pay
- $1.9 million, board trustee (to 9/24)
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: 65 out of 100. Higher than 33% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 15% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1570% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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 49% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2523 of 26 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 (3)
- $7.7 million spent. SCIENCE DIVISION - ACADEMY SCIENTISTS CONDUCT RESEARCH AROUND THE WORLD, COLLECTING SAMPLES THAT HELP THEM DOCUMENT BIODIVERSITY, TRACE EVOLUTION, AND TRACK ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES OVER TIME. FOR OVER 200 YEARS, ACADEMY SCIENTISTS HAVE PRESERVED, CURATED, AND STUDIED WHAT IS NOW A WORLD-CLASS COLLECTION OF AN ESTIMATED 19 MILLION BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS THAT DOCUMENT THE HISTORY OF LIFE ON EARTH. THE ACADEMY'S ENVIRONMENTAL WORK INCLUDES A FOCUS ON UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING THE VARIED IMPACTS OF HUMANS ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE IMPACTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ON DIVERSE HUMAN COMMUNITIES. FUNDING FOR RESEARCH COMES FROM FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, PRIVATE CORPORATIONS, AND FOUNDATIONS. THROUGH FESTIVALS (SUCH AS OUR POPULAR BUG FEST), MEMBERS' NIGHT, BEHIND-THE-SCENES TOURS, PUBLICATIONS, AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS, SCIENTISTS SHARE THEIR DISCOVERIES, ENABLING COLLEAGUES, VISITORS, AND MEMBERS TO GAIN FURTHER INSIGHT INTO EARTH'S ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES AND HOW TO MAINTAIN A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. THROUGH RESEARCH EXPEDITIONS, ACADEMY SCIENTISTS PRODUCE SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS AND EXPAND COLLECTIONS THAT SUPPORT RESEARCHERS AND SCIENTISTS WORLDWIDE. THE ACADEMY AND DREXEL UNIVERSITY'S JOINT PROGRAM BIODIVERSITY, EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (BEES) HAS GROWN, WITH MANY NEW PROJECTS ON THE HORIZON AS WE CONTINUE TO BE THE EPICENTER OF DISCOVERY. BY DIGITIZING THE COLLECTIONS, SEARCHING FOR GENETIC CLUES TO BIODIVERSITY, AND UNDERSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES IN LOCAL WETLANDS AND WATERSHEDS, ACADEMY SCIENTISTS CONTINUE TO BE LEADING RESEARCHERS IN NATURAL SCIENCES.
- $7.7 million spent. PUBLIC EDUCATION - THE ACADEMY BRINGS NATURAL SCIENCE TO LIFE THROUGH THREE FLOORS OF ENGAGING PERMANENT EXHIBITS THAT INCLUDE OUR HISTORIC DIORAMAS AND DINOSAUR HALL, AS WELL AS THE CHILDREN'S NATURE DISCOVERY CENTER, OUTSIDE IN, THAT FACILITATES HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES WITH LIVE ANIMALS. WHILE VISITATION TO THE ACADEMY IS STILL REBOUNDING FROM THE EFFECTS OF THE GLOBAL COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WE WELCOMED MORE THAN 126,000 VISITORS IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2025. THIS PAST SUMMER, THE NUMBER OF GROUP VISITS FOR SUMMER CAMPS CONTINUED TO INCREASE, AND ATTENDEES OF THE ACADEMY'S POPULAR SUMMER SCIENCE CAMP ROSE SIGNIFICANTLY. THE ACADEMY CONTINUES TO OFFER EXCITING NEW EXPERIENCES TO THE PUBLIC. IN 2025, THE ACADEMY PRESENTED THE FIRST-EVER CO-CREATED EXHIBITION WITH DREXEL'S WESTPHAL COLLEGE. THE EXHIBITION FEATURED STUNNING AND PROVOCATIVE GARMENTS FROM DREXEL'S ROBERT AND PENNY FOX HISTORIC COSTUME COLLECTION ALONGSIDE SPECIMENS FROM THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES AND WORKS BY CONTEMPORARY CHANGEMAKERS. TOGETHER, THE EXHIBITION BOLDLY EXPLORED HOW MATERIALS, PRODUCTION PROCESSES, AND OUR OWN PATTERNS OF CLOTHING CONSUMPTION IMPACT THE WORLD AROUND US. IN OUR SPOTLIGHT GALLERY, WE PRESENTED THREE NEW EXHIBITIONS HIGHLIGHTING THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY SCIENCE IN ADVANCING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURAL WORLD, INCLUDING HEIRLOOM PLANTS, NEIGHBORHOOD NATURALISTS, AND LIVING WITHIN THE WATERSHED, WHICH HELPED CATALYZE THE OPENING OF THE WATERSHED, A NEW CLIMATE RESILIENCE HUB IN GERMANTOWN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MURAL ARTS PHILADELPHIA AND THE PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT. IN OUR SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS GALLERY, WE PRESENTED ICE DINOSAURS, AN EXHIBITION BASED ON GROUNDBREAKING DISCOVERIES SURROUNDING DINOSAURS THAT LIVED IN EXTREME POLAR ENVIRONMENTS. PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING THE ACADEMY TOWN SQUARE SERIES, DINOS AFTER DARK, AND FESTIVALS SUCH AS THE BELOVED BUG FEST AND CONFLUENCE FILM FESTIVAL, NOW IN ITS SECOND YEAR, ANIMATED THE PUBLIC EXPERIENCE. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, WE ALSO CONTINUED TO COLLABORATE WITH DREXEL FACULTY ON THE MUSEUM INNOVATION FUND, A MICRO-GRANTING OPPORTUNITY THAT INSPIRES FACULTY AND STUDENTS TO EXPERIMENT WITH THE ACADEMY AS A SPACE FOR NEW APPROACHES TO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.THE COMMUNITY LEARNING DIVISION CONTINUES TO CREATE COMMUNITY-CENTERED INITIATIVES THAT MOBILIZE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE LEADERS AND CIVICALLY MINDED INDIVIDUALS. PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE CITY, THE ACADEMY PROVIDES SCIENCE-INFUSED CURRICULUM TO SCHOOLS AND EDUCATORS, SUPPORTS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN A NETWORK OF EDUCATORS, AND CREATES ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS. THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY SCIENCE WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DREXEL'S ENVIRONMENTAL COLLABORATORY TO IDENTIFY AND DELIVER FUNDED PROJECTS IN WHICH INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES PARTNER WITH SCIENTISTS TO ANSWER AND ADDRESS REAL-WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS. DRAWING ON THE ACADEMY'S UNIQUE ATTRIBUTES - INCLUDING ITS SCIENTISTS, COLLECTIONS, AND RELATIONSHIP WITH DREXEL, THE EDUCATION, LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT (ELD) DEPARTMENT CREATES PROGRAMS AND CURRICULA IN SUPPORT OF LIFELONG LEARNING. ELD HAS BEEN PROVIDING FOCUSED STEM LESSONS FOR 2ND AND 3RD GRADE STUDENTS AT THE FRIENDS SELECT SCHOOL FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS. THE ACADEMY'S CENTER FOR STEAM EQUITY WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DREXEL (IN PARTICULAR, THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION) TO ADDRESS SOCIAL INEQUITY THROUGH STEAM TEACHING AND LEARNING BY CONDUCTING, CATALYZING AND SUPPORTING COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH. AMONG THESE EFFORTS, THE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AND AWARD-WINNING WOMEN IN NATURAL SCIENCES (WINS) PROGRAM, THE LONGEST-RUNNING OF ITS KIND IN THE REGION, CONTINUES TO DELIVER AFTER-SCHOOL AND SUMMER ENRICHMENT FOR YOUNG WOMEN, INTRODUCING HUNDREDS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO FUTURE CAREERS IN SCIENCE. OUR MOST RECENT ADDITION TO THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS WINS STUDENTS AS THEY NAVIGATE THEIR YEARS IN HIGHER EDUCATION. WINS III FOLLOWS THE STUDENTS AS THEY TRANSITION FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE, OFFERING MENTORSHIP, SKILL-BUILDING WORKSHOPS AND CONTINUED ACADEMIC SUPPORT. THE EDUCATION, LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT TEAM REACHES STUDENTS AGES 3 AND UP IN PRIVATE, CHARTER, AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS, DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AS WELL AS IN OUTREACH PROGRAMS. WE ALSO WORK WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. OUR KEY PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS ARE CURRENTLY WITH THE MANTUA CIVIC ASSOCIATION, IN COLOR BIRDING CLUB, SLOAN STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN AND BOTH LANKENAU AND OLNEY HIGH SCHOOLS. VOLUNTEER AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ENABLES RECRUITMENT, SCREENING, AND PLACEMENT OF VOLUNTEERS TO SUPPORT WORK THROUGHOUT THE ACADEMY, SUPPORTS STAFF IN DESIGNING MEANINGFUL VOLUNTEER, INTERN AND CO-OP POSITIONS THAT SERVE THE MISSION OF THE ACADEMY AND PROVIDES SUPPORT IN DEVELOPING TRAINING AND IN ONGOING SUPERVISION AND RECOGNITION OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF VOLUNTEERS, UNPAID INTERNS, AND CO-OP STUDENTS. 217 VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED 17,566 HOURS TO THE ACADEMY.
- $1.3 million spent. LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES - THE ACADEMY'S LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES IS INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOR ITS RARE AND HISTORIC COLLECTION OF 80,000 TITLES SPANNING FIVE CENTURIES AS WELL AS OVER 1 MILLION ARCHIVAL ITEMS INCLUDING MANUSCRIPTS, CORRESPONDENCE, FIELD NOTEBOOKS, FILMS, JOURNALS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND WORKS OF ART. THE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES PROVIDES SERVICES TO BOTH A WIDE RANGE OF SCHOLARLY USERS AND THE PUBLIC. THE DEPARTMENT FREQUENTLY HOSTS RESEARCH APPOINTMENTS, CLASS VISITS, AND SPECIAL SESSIONS WITH THE DREXEL ACADEMIC COMMUNITY. ITS HOLDINGS AND SERVICES ARE REGULARLY USED BY ACADEMY SCIENTISTS AND COLLECTIONS EXPERTS, DREXEL FACULTY AND STUDENTS, AND EXTERNAL RESEARCHERS. IT ALSO PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN THE ACADEMY'S EFFORTS TO MAKE ITS COLLECTIONS AND ASSOCIATED DATA MORE WIDELY ACCESSIBLE. ITS STAFF ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONCEPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ACADEMY EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS, AND ITS MATERIALS CONTINUE TO BE POPULARLY FEATURED IN THE MUSEUM'S OFFERINGS AND DIGITAL OUTREACH. LIBRARY & ARCHIVES IS A MEMBER OF THE CONSORTIUM FOR THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND MEDICINE (TOGETHER WITH DREXEL UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES AND THE LEGACY CENTER); A PARTICIPATING CONTRIBUTOR OF THE BIODIVERSITY HERITAGE LIBRARY; AND AN ACTIVE PARTNER IN PACSCL - THE PHILADELPHIA AREA CONSORTIUM OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARIES. IN 2025 LIBRARY & ARCHIVES JOINED PA PHOTOS AND DOCUMENTS, WHICH IS PART OF PENNSYLVANIA'S POWER LIBRARY.
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 December 1928.
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.
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