Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
BORN FROM THE COLLISION OF RHYTHM & BLUES, COUNTRY, AND GOSPEL, ROCK & ROLL IS A SPIRIT THAT IS INCLUSIVE AND EVER-CHANGING. THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME CELEBRATES THE SOUND OF YOUTH CULTURE AND HONORS THE ARTISTS WHOSE MUSIC CONNECTS US ALL.
- Income
- $65.3 million
- Spending
- $45.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 1.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 31%
- Employees
- 277
- Volunteers
- 6
- Highest pay
- $967,589, president & ceo
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: 71 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.4 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 24% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 30% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 12% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 10 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 (4)
- $21.8 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE OMUSEUM OPERATIONS: THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS THE PRE-EMINENT HOME FOR THE CELEBRATION AND STUDY OF ROCK AND ROLL. IT IS A WORLD-CLASS MUSEUM AND LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES THAT EDUCATES ITS VISITORS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF ROCK AND ROLL, FROM ITS ROOTS TO THE PRESENT, AND ABOUT ROCK AND ROLL'S IMPACT ON OUR CULTURE AND SOCIETY. IT ACCOMPLISHES ALL OF THIS WITH SEVEN FLOORS OF EXHIBITS FEATURING THOUSANDS OF HISTORIC ARTIFACTS, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS FILMS AND INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS. IN ADDITION TO THE PERMANENT EXHIBITS, THE ROCK HALL CURATES SEVERAL NEW TEMPORARY EXHIBITS EACH YEAR WHICH FOCUS ON INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS, VARIOUS GENRES OF MUSIC OR IMPORTANT ANNIVERSARIES OF HISTORIC EVENTS. IN 2024, THE TEMPORARY EXHIBITS FEATURED REVOLUTIONARY WOMEN IN MUSIC, HENRY MANCINI 100, THE ROLLING STONES REFRESHED, BON JOVI FOREVER, WORLD SERIES OF ROCK 50TH ANNIVERSARY, LES PAUL: THRU THE LENS, 1984, HOPELESS RECORDS 30TH ANNIVERSARY, SOAK UP THE SUN: THE MUSIC OF SHERYL CROW, 2024 NEW INDUCTEES, THE BEATLES: GET BACK TO LET IT BE, HOTTER THAN JULY, ICONIC: BARON WOLMAN IMAGES OF AN ERA, HOLLA IF YA HEAR ME: HIP HOP AT 50, 2023 NEW INDUCTEES, AND IN MEMORIAM. THE ROCK HALL ALSO CURATES TRAVELING EXHIBITS THAT ARE FEATURED AT OTHER MUSEUMS AND VISITOR ATTRACTIONS. FURTHER, THE LIBRARY & ARCHIVES, FOR WHICH THE ROCK HALL HAS BEEN COLLECTING ARTIFACTS SINCE IT OPENED IN 1995, HELPS THE ROCK HALL FULFILL ITS MISSION BY MAKING ONE-OF-A-KIND AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDINGS, PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS, PERSONAL PAPERS AND BUSINESS RECORDS OF POPULAR MUSIC'S MOST INFLUENTIAL FIGURES ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES ALSO ENHANCES THE MUSEUM'S EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
- $14.9 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE O2024 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY: THE 2024 INDUCTION CEREMONY WAS HOSTED BY THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME AT ROCKET MORTGAGE FIELDHOUSE IN CLEVELAND, OHIO. THE 2024 CEREMONY HONORED MARY J. BLIGE, CHER, DAVE MATTHEWS BAND, FOREIGNER, PETER FRAMPTON, KOOL & THE GANG, OZZY OSBOURNE, A TRIBE CALLED QUEST, JIMMY BUFFETT, MC5, DIONNE WARWICK, NORMAN WHITFIELD, BIG MAMA THORNTON, JOHN MAYALL, ALEXIS KORNER, AND SUZANNE DE PASSE. THE ROCK HALL ALSO HOSTED A WEEK OF EVENTS LEADING UP TO CEREMONY INCLUDING FILM SCREENINGS, EXHIBITS, AND A COMMUNITY CELEBRATION. ALL EVENTS WERE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND THE COMMUNITY CELEBRATION OFFERED FREE ADMISSIONS TO OHIO RESIDENTS. IN ORDER TO BE NOMINATED FOR INDUCTION INTO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME, AN ACT MUST HAVE RELEASED ITS FIRST SINGLE OR ALBUM AT LEAST 25 YEARS PRIOR TO THE YEAR OF NOMINATION. THE EVENT IS SUPPORTED BY BOTH PROGRAM REVENUE AND CONTRIBUTIONS.
- $443,665 spent. SEE SCHEDULE OEDUCATION & PUBLIC PROGRAMS: THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAMES'S EDUCATION AND PROGRAMS DIVISION PRODUCES SCORES OF ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS EACH YEAR THAT REINFORCE THE ROCK HALL'S COMMITMENT TO THE STUDY AND INTERPRETATION OF ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC AND ITS ROOTS. THE CONTENT OF THESE PROGRAMS HIGHLIGHTS NOT ONLY THE WORK OF ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES BUT ALSO A BROAD SPECTRUM OF POPULAR MUSIC. THESE PROGRAMS ARE PRESENTED IN A VARIETY OF FORMATS INCLUDING STUDENT GROUP PROGRAMS, INTERVIEWS, PUBLIC CONCERTS, LECTURES, FILM SCREENINGS, MASTER CLASSES, AND COMMUNITY FESTIVALS. FURTHERMORE, THE MUSEUM'S TODDLER ROCK PROGRAM ENTERED ITS 26TH YEAR AND SERVES STUDENTS FROM HEAD START PROGRAMS AROUND CLEVELAND, OH COORDINATED BY STEP FORWARD OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY. THE MUSEUM ALSO HOSTED 30+ INTERNS AND ARTISTS AS A PART OF ITS SUMMER CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND 8,662 OTHER STUDENTS THROUGH A VARIETY OF IMMERSIVE AND INTERACTIVE PRESENTATIONS.
- $21,746 spent. OTHER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND EXHIBITIONS, AS DESCRIBED ON SCHEDULE O.
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 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 June 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.