Moco Kidsco
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
KID MUSEUM IS OUR REGION'S PIONEERING EXPERIENTIAL MUSEUM AND EDUCATIONAL MAKERSPACE. WE FOSTER THE "MIND OF A MAKER" IN KIDS AND YOUTH, EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION WITH THE SKILLS TO INVENT THE FUTURE.
- Income
- $6.4 million
- Spending
- $7.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- 0.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 55%
- Employees
- 63
- Volunteers
- 184
- Highest pay
- $186,640, founder and executive director
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
Weak: 40 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.1 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 94% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 12 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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)
- $5.1 million spent. IN ITS ELEVENTH YEAR OF OPERATIONS, AND ITS FOURTH AT THE FLAGSHIP LOCATION AT BETHESDA METRO CENTER, KID MUSEUM IS OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK, SERVING THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND EDUCATORS EACH YEAR WITH A RANGE OF INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS. ITS PROGRAMS ARE BUILT AROUND HANDS-ON, TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT BUILD SKILLS IN CODING, ENGINEERING DESIGN, AND INVENTION, AND PREPARE KIDS TO TAKE ON LIFE'S CHALLENGES WITH CREATIVITY, CURIOSITY, AND COMPASSION.1) OUT OF SCHOOL TIME PROGRAMSKID MUSEUM PROVIDES YOUTH WITH THE SKILLS AND EXPANDED MINDSET TO BECOME INNOVATORS OF THE FUTURE THROUGH ENGAGING, HANDS-ON PROGRAMMING FROM WEEK-LONG SUMMER CAMPS AND DAILY CAMPS, TO MULTI-WEEK AFTER-SCHOOL CLASSES AND MIDDLE SCHOOL MAKER NIGHTS. IN ADDITION, THE MUSEUM PROVIDES VIBRANT WEEKEND EXPERIENCES DESIGNED TO ENGAGE THE WHOLE FAMILY. IN FY25, KID MUSEUM CONTINUED ITS IN-PERSON WEEKEND PROGRAMMING, SERVING VISITORS THROUGH OPEN EXPLORE TIME, BIRTHDAY PARTIES, WORKSHOPS, AND COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS.2) SCHOOL PROGRAMSKID MUSEUM OFFERS RIGOROUS, CURRICULUM BASED PROGRAMS, WITH A SERIES OF EXPERIENCES THAT COMBINE TECHNICAL SKILLS (EG. CODING, ELECTRONICS, ENGINEERING DESIGN) WITH 21ST CENTURY LEARNING INCLUDING CRITICAL THINKING, CREATIVITY, AND COLLABORATION. THE ANNUAL INVENT THE FUTURE CHALLENGE BRINGS THESE LEARNING EXPERIENCES TO THOUSANDS OF AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. THE MUSEUM ALSO PROVIDES RIGOROUS, STANDARDS-ALIGNED CURRICULAR PROGRAMS FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, REACHING THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS INCLUDING THOSE FROM TITLE I AND HIGH-POVERTY SCHOOLS THROUGH THE KID INVENTORS PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, KID MUSEUM REACHES THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS THROUGH SINGLE VISIT MAKER DISCOVERY FIELD TRIPS, EXPLORING HANDS-ON TECHNICAL AND BUILDING SKILLS, AS WELL AS DEEP DIVE WORKSHOPS AND OPEN BUILD EXPERIENCES IN WHICH STUDENTS PURSUE THEIR OWN PROJECT BUILDS. KID MUSEUM ALSO CONTINUED ITS PARTNERSHIPS WITH INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO BROADEN THE ACCESS AND REACH OF ITS PROGRAMS TO STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.3) TEEN PROGRAMSKID MUSEUM'S TEEN VOLUNTEER PROGRAM TRAINS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO GUIDE VISITORS THROUGH HANDS-ON EXPLORATIONS. THESE TRAINED STUDENTS THEN SERVE AS ACTIVITY FACILITATORS DURING AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, FAMILY WEEKEND PROGRAMS, AND AT CAMPS. IN FY25, KID MUSEUM ALSO CONTINUED ITS INTENSIVE TEEN INNOVATORS PROGRAM THAT ALLOWED TEENS TO DELVE INTO STEM, MAKER, AND LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES, AS WELL AS STRENGTHEN THEIR TECH AND MAKER SKILLS. ALL COHORTS OF THE TEEN PROGRAM EXPLORE COLLEGE AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN STEM AND NON-STEM FIELDS.4) EDUCATOR PROGRAMSKID MUSEUM'S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROVIDES EDUCATORS WITH THE SKILLS, RESOURCES, AND INSPIRATION NEEDED TO SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATE STEM-BASED MAKER EDUCATION INTO EVERYDAY CLASSROOMS. IN FY25, KID MUSEUM CONTINUED ITS MODEL FOR SUPPORTING SCHOOLS IN SYSTEMIC INTEGRATION OF MAKER LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM. TEACHERS DELIVERED A STUDENT CURRICULUM, PARTICIPATED IN COHORT-WIDE TRAINING WORKSHOPS, AND PARTNERED WITH KID MUSEUM STAFF FOR INDIVIDUALIZED COACHING.5) COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTIN FY25, KID MUSEUM FURTHER REFINED ITS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FUNCTION, PERFORMING OUTREACH TO LOCAL AND REGIONAL COMMUNITIES AT LITTLE TO NO COST TO THE PARTICIPANTS. KID ALSO COLLABORATED WITH OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO CONTINUE TO BROADEN ITS REACH AND DEEPEN PARTNERSHIPS IN THE REGION. STUDENTS AND FAMILIES THAT ARE TRADITIONALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN STEM PARTICIPATED IN PROGRAMS WITHIN THEIR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS AT KID MUSEUM DURING THE WEEK AND WEEKENDS. KID MUSEUM ALSO BUILT OUT ITS RESEARCH AND EVALUATION FUNCTION TO FURTHER REFINE ITS IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITIES SERVED BY THESE PROGRAMS.
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 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 June 2025.
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 2012.
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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