Museum of the American Revolution
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION UNCOVERS AND SHARES COMPELLING STORIES ABOUT THE DIVERSE PEOPLE AND COMPLEX EVENTS THAT SPARKED AMERICA'S ONGOING EXPERIMENT IN EQUALITY AND SELF-GOVERNMENT.
- Income
- $14.0 million
- Spending
- $17.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 72.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 48%
- Employees
- 135
- Volunteers
- 100
- Highest pay
- $563,290, president and ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 72.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 23% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 58% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 38 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 2523 of 24 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 September 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 (1)
- $12.9 million spent. IN 2024-2025, THE MUSEUM CONTINUED TO EXPAND ITS REACH AND IMPACT IN ANTICIPATION OF THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE IN 2026. THE MUSEUM DELIVERED AN INNOVATIVE AND ENGAGING VARIETY OF MISSION-DRIVEN PROGRAMS BOTH ONSITE AND ONLINE, INCLUDING SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS, LIVING HISTORY EVENTS, PUBLIC LECTURES, AND FAMILY ACTIVITIES. FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2025, THE MUSEUM WELCOMED 170,556 VISITORS, INCLUDING 43,313 STUDENTS AND CHAPERONES FROM 26 U.S. STATES, AS WELL AS FRANCE AND GERMANY. THE MUSEUM KICKED OFF ITS CELEBRATION OF AMERICA'S SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL WITH A SPECIAL EXHIBITION, BANNERS OF LIBERTY: AN EXHIBITION OF ORIGINAL REVOLUTIONARY WAR FLAGS. THE EXHIBITION BROUGHT TOGETHER 17 ORIGINAL FLAGS FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY ERA OF THE ROUGHLY 30 KNOWN TO STILL SURVIVE TODAY, MAKING IT THE LARGEST GATHERING OF SUCH FLAGS SINCE 1783, AND WAS VIEWED BY MORE THAN 33,000 VISITORS DURING ITS BRIEF RUN. THIS YEAR, 1,110,887 USERS VISITED OUR WEBSITE, AMREVMUSEUM.ORG, TO PLAN THEIR VISIT AND EXPLORE OUR EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, INCLUDING "PROOF OF SERVICE", A NEW ONLINE INTERACTIVE FEATURING RARE ORIGINAL WARTIME PAPERS TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE IN THE CONTINENTAL ARMY, AND NEW INSTALLMENTS OF OUR "PENSION PROJECT" VIDEO SERIES. THROUGH THIS WORK, THE MUSEUM CONTINUES TO DEEPEN THE IMPACT OF OUR ONSITE AND DIGITAL STORYTELLING, AND FURTHER OUR EDUCATIONAL MISSION AT A TIME WHEN MANY AMERICANS WILL SPEND TIME CELEBRATING AND REFLECTING ON THE REVOLUTIONARY ERA.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 September 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 January 2003.
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.
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.