Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Cleveland Museum of Natural History

EIN 34-0714338 · Cleveland, OH

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood82 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO INSPIRE, THROUGH SCIENCE AND EDUCATION, A PASSION FOR NATURE, THE PROTECTION OF NATURAL DIVERSITY, THE FOSTERING OF HEALTH, AND LEADERSHIP TO A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

Income
$31.6 million
Spending
$26.3 million
Spent on programs
62%
Reserves
8.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 67%
Employees
224
Volunteers
218
Highest pay
$723,992, 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

Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 22% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 17% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 35% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    62% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 23 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

    28 of 28 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 (3)
  1. $9.9 million spent. DIVISION OF RESEARCH AND COLLECTIONS: A TOTAL OF 150 NEW SPECIMENS WERE ACCESSIONED TO COLLECTIONS, 102 REQUESTS BY EXTERNAL RESEARCHERS WERE FULFILLED, 14 BEHIND THE SCENES TOURS, AND 292 PUBLIC INQUIRIES WERE FIELDED. THE RESEARCH STAFF PUBLISHED 6 ARTICLES IN PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS. PUBLISHED SCIENTIFIC STUDIES INCLUDE PALEONTOLOGY, INVESTIGATIONS INTO EARLY HOMININ BEHAVIOR, AND TOOL USE AS THEY RELATE TO HUMAN EVOLUTION. FIELD RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED IN KENYA, NEW MEXICO, NORTHERN OHIO, AND THE GREAT LAKES REGION, ALL OF WHICH ADVANCE THE RESEARCH ENDEAVORS OF THE MUSEUM'S SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM. THE DIVISION STAFF PARTICIPATED IN PUBLIC PROGRAMS THAT RESULTED IN MORE THAN 2,151 DIRECT INTERACTIONS WITH THE PUBLIC, OVER 82 MEDIA INTERVIEWS/APPEARANCES, AND AROUND 1,459 INDIVIDUALS REACHED IN ACADEMIC PRESENTATIONS.
  2. $4.4 million spent. EXHIBITS: THE MUSEUM CONTINUED TO DISPLAY JANE THE T. REX AT THE CLEVELAND HOPKINS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.THE TEMPORARY EXHIBITS "FINDING LUCY AND "DISCOVERING DUNKLEOSTEUS" WERE DEINSTALLED IN VISITOR HALL AND CORNING GALLERY IN MARCH. 2025.THE MUSEUM PRESENTED THE "WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR" EXHIBIT ON LOAN FROM THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM IN LONDON STARTING IN APRIL, 2025. THIS EXHIBIT WAS SHOWN IN CORNING GALLERY, THE VISITOR HALL, AND THE EDUCATION HALLWAY.OBJECTS WERE INSTALLED IN FIVE CASES IN THE PLANETARIUM, INCLUDING "COSMO" THE METEORITE.THE REMAINDER OF THE MUSEUM OPENED IN DECEMBER, 2024, WHICH INCLUDES TWO NEW WINGS (SEAR DYNAMIC EARTH WING AND TEH EVOLVING LIFE WING) AND TWO ADDITIONAL GALLERIES (AMES CURIOUSITY CENTER AND THE NATURAL AREAS GALLERY).
  3. $2.0 million spent. EDUCATION: THE MUSEUM OFFERS UNIQUE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS, GALLERY DISPLAYS, HEALTH PROGRAMS, PLANETARIUM SHOWS, LIVE ANIMAL PROGRAMS AND SELF-CONDUCTED EXHIBITS, OUTREACH AND AWARD WINNING INTERACTIVE VIDEOCONFERENCING PROGRAMS. THE MUSEUM PROVIDED ON-SITE SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR 18,951 STUDENTS AND DELIVERED OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO 4,721 STUDENTS AND TEACHERS DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025. THE MUSEUM WAS ALSO ABLE TO ENGAGE 4,684 STUDENTS AND TEACHERS FROM 7 STATES AND 2 COUNTRIES VIA THE INTERACTIVE VIDEOCONFERENCING STUDIOS. OVERALL, WE REACHED 36,269 STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THROUGH OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING WITH 21,275 OF THEM FROM TITLE I SCHOOLS IN FY25 (ALMOST 60%).

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since February 1930.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.