Kohl Childrens Museum of Greater Chicago Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WE ARE A PLACE THAT PROVIDES EXPERIENCES AND MEMORIES TO BUILD A FOUNDATION FOR A LIFETIME OF LEARNING.
- Income
- $7.3 million
- Spending
- $5.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 70%
- Reserves
- 0.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 59%
- Employees
- 115
- Volunteers
- 311
- Highest pay
- $288,735, president & 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
Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 22% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 43% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1570% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2536 of 37 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 (1)
- $3.9 million spent. SITUATED ON NEARLY NINE ACRES OF LAND, INCLUDING TWO ACRES OF BOUNDED OUTDOOR SPACE, THE MUSEUM FEATURES 17 INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS DESIGNED WITH EXPERT KNOWLEDGE OF HOW CHILDREN LEARN THROUGH SELF-DIRECTED PLAY. WITHIN THIS SETTING, THE MUSEUM ORGANIZES ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES ANDPROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF CHILDREN AGES BIRTH TO EIGHT.SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE MUSEUM HAS EMERGED AS A LEADER IN THE CREATION OF ENGAGING EXHIBITS AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS THAT NURTURE A LOVE OF LEARNING IN YOUNG CHILDREN. FOR MORE THAN A QUARTER OF A CENTURY, IT HAS ELEVATED THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY AS A CRITICAL LEARNING TOOL, AIDED PARENTS IN THEIR IMPORTANT ROLE AS A CHILD'S FIRST - AND MOST IMPORTANT - TEACHER, AND PROVIDED TOOLS TO TEACHERS THAT AUGMENT THE FORMAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.BECAUSE THERE ARE CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND TEACHERS WHOSE ECONOMIC OR PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES PREVENT THEM FROM VISITING, THE MUSEUM REMOVES AS MANY BARRIERS AS POSSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT ALL CHILDREN CAN LEARN FROM A FULL MUSEUM EXPERIENCE. FROM PROGRAMS SUCH AS EARLY CHILDHOODCONNECTIONS, WHICH BRINGS PROVEN TEACHING STRATEGIES TO CLASSROOMS SERVING CHILDREN IN NEED, TO PLAY FOR ALL, WHICH OFFERS PRIVATE TIME IN THE MUSEUM FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND THEIR FAMILIES, THE MUSEUM HAS A DECADES-LONG HISTORY OF EXTENDING ITS MISSION TO REACH THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST. AS PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THAT EVERY CHILD AND FAMILY HAS ACCESS TO A HIGH-QUALITY CHILDREN'S MUSEUM EXPERIENCE, WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO BETTER SERVE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN UNDER-RESOURCED AREAS BY BRINGING OUR EXHIBITS AND EDUCATION TEAM TO THEM DIRECTLY. POP-UPMUSEUM PROGRAMS LIKE OUR PILOT IN WAUKEGAN WILL ALLOW US TO CONNECT WITH MORE FAMILIES AND INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
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 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 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 November 1994.
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.