Texas State Aquarium Association
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM'S MISSION IS ENGAGING PEOPLE WITH ANIMALS, INSPIRING APPRECIATION FOR OUR SEAS, AND SUPPORTING WILDLIFE CONSERVATION. ITS VISION IS TO BE A GLOBAL LEADER IN FOSTERING SUPPORT FOR THE CONSERVATION OF THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THE CARIBBEAN SEA. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL, THE AQUARIUM HAS DEVELOPED MORE THAN 25 PERMANENT AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS TO INTERPRET THE ANIMALS AND SENSITIVE ECOSYSTEMS OF THESE REGIONS, EDUCATING AN AVERAGE OF MORE THAN 500,000 VISITORS ANNUALLY IN THE WONDERS OF THE MARINE WORLD. THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM ALSO PROMOTES AND ACTIVELY ENGAGES IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION THROUGH ITS SUPPORT OF THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM INSTITUTE FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION.
- Income
- $19.1 million
- Spending
- $18.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 86%
- Employees
- 232
- Volunteers
- 89
- Highest pay
- $403,862, president/ce
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 50% of charities in its peer group (animals, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 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 18% of charities in its peer group (animals, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2532 of 32 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 (2)
- $13.4 million spent. IT ALL BEGAN IN 1969 WITH THE DREAM OF WHAT CORPUS CHRISTI COULD BE. VISIONARY COMMUNITY LEADERS HAD A BOLD, YET SIMPLE PURPOSE WITH THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM - CREATE EDUCATIONALLY ENRICHING AND ENTERTAINING EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH NATURE, AND INSPIRE THEM TO CARE FOR, AND ULTIMATELY HELP CONSERVE, THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THE CARIBBEAN SEA. TODAY, AFTER BEING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS AND HAVING EDUCATED AND ENTERTAINED MORE THAN 16 MILLION VISITORS, THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM IS THE LEADING ATTRACTION IN SOUTH TEXAS, AN ECONOMIC DRIVER OF THE COASTED BEND TOURISM ECONOMY, AND A WORLDWIDE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER. THE AQUARIUM HAS ALWAYS AIMED TO EDUCATE GUESTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSERVING OUR HABITATS AND WILDLIFE - AND WE LEAD BY EXAMPLE. THE AQUARIUM HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO ORGANIZE AND CARRY OUT BEACH CLEAN-UP EVENTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE. IN ADDITION TO COORDINATING THESE EFFORTS, AQUARIUM STAFF CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT HIGHLIGHT THE EFFECTS GARBAGE HAS ON REGIONAL WILDLIFE. AS A MEMBER OF THE AQUARIUM CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP, THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM PRIDES ITSELF ON ITS EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS FROM OUR OPERATIONS, INCLUDING OFFERING CANNED WATER, PAPER STRAWS, AND RECYCLED MATERIAL SERVING CONTAINERS TO OUR RESTAURANT PATRONS. OUR PEPSI SHORELINE GRILL WAS THE FIRST RESTAURANT IN TEXAS TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THE SURFRIDER FOUNDATION AS AN OCEAN FRIENDLY RESTAURANT. IN 2024, THERE WAS A JOINT EFFORT WITH NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY (NSU) IN FLORIDA AND TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY- CORPUS CHRISTI (TAMU-CC) TO TRANSFER ABOUT 300 CORALS FROM NSU'S CORAL NURSERY TO THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM. THE TRANSFER WILL FACILITATE RESEARCH INTO STAGHORN CORALS AND HELP PROTECT THE STAGHORN CORAL POPULATIONS FROM CLIMATE CHANGE. IT IS THROUGH THESE AND MANY MORE PROGRAMS THAT THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM HELPS PRESERVE OUR REGION'S RICH ENVIRONMENTAL HERITAGE AND EMPOWERS MILLIONS OF VISITORS TO TAKE ACTION TO HELP PRESERVE AND PROTECT OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. IT ALL BEGAN IN 1969 WITH THE DREAM OF WHAT CORPUS CHRISTI COULD BE. VISIONARY COMMUNITY LEADERS HAD A BOLD, YET SIMPLE PURPOSE WITH THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM - CREATE EDUCATIONALLY ENRICHING AND ENTERTAINING EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH NATURE, AND INSPIRE THEM TO CARE FOR, AND ULTIMATELY HELP CONSERVE, THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THE CARIBBEAN SEA. TODAY, AFTER BEING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS AND HAVING EDUCATED AND ENTERTAINED MORE THAN 16 MILLION VISITORS, THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM IS THE LEADING ATTRACTION IN SOUTH TEXAS, AN ECONOMIC DRIVER OF THE COASTED BEND TOURISM ECONOMY, AND A WORLDWIDE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER. THE AQUARIUM HAS ALWAYS AIMED TO EDUCATE GUESTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSERVING OUR HABITATS AND WILDLIFE - AND WE LEAD BY EXAMPLE. THE AQUARIUM HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO ORGANIZE AND CARRY OUT BEACH CLEAN-UP EVENTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE. IN ADDITION TO COORDINATING THESE EFFORTS, AQUARIUM STAFF CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT HIGHLIGHT THE EFFECTS GARBAGE HAS ON REGIONAL WILDLIFE. AS A MEMBER OF THE AQUARIUM CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP, THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM PRIDES ITSELF ON ITS EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS FROM OUR OPERATIONS, INCLUDING OFFERING CANNED WATER, PAPER STRAWS, AND RECYCLED MATERIAL SERVING CONTAINERS TO OUR RESTAURANT PATRONS. OUR PEPSI SHORELINE GRILL WAS THE FIRST RESTAURANT IN TEXAS TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THE SURFRIDER FOUNDATION AS AN OCEAN FRIENDLY RESTAURANT. IN 2024, THERE WAS A JOINT EFFORT WITH NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY (NSU) IN FLORIDA AND TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY- CORPUS CHRISTI (TAMU-CC) TO TRANSFER ABOUT 300 CORALS FROM NSU'S CORAL NURSERY TO THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM. THE TRANSFER WILL FACILITATE RESEARCH INTO STAGHORN CORALS AND HELP PROTECT THE STAGHORN CORAL POPULATIONS FROM CLIMATE CHANGE. IT IS THROUGH THESE AND MANY MORE PROGRAMS THAT THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM HELPS PRESERVE OUR REGION'S RICH ENVIRONMENTAL HERITAGE AND EMPOWERS MILLIONS OF VISITORS TO TAKE ACTION TO HELP PRESERVE AND PROTECT OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
- $415,261 spent. AT THE HEART OF THE AQUARIUM'S MISSION IS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE AQUARIUM OVER THE YEARS THROUGH OUR OUTREACH AND DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMS, FIELD TRIPS, CAMPS, AND ON-SITE PROGRAMS. IN 2024 ALONE, MORE THAN 24,000 GRADE LEVEL STUDENTS ENGAGED IN LEARNING INITIATIVES THROUGH THE IMMERSIVE AND ENGAGING PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY THE AQUARIUM. THESE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND EXPERIENCES AIM TO FOSTER THE NEXT GENERATION OF INSPIRED SCIENTISTS, OCEAN EXPLORERS, AND STEM PROFESSIONALS.
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 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 December 2024.
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 April 1970.
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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