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Holocaust Museum La

EIN 46-0503824 · Los Angeles, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

HOLOCAUST MUSEUM LA (HMLA) TEACHES THE CRITICAL LESSONS OF THE HOLOCAUST AND THEIR CONTINUED RELEVANCE TODAY, BUILDING EMPATHY, AND EMPOWERING STUDENTS AND VISITORS TO SPEAK OUT AND STAND UP AGAINST ANTISEMITISM, BIGOTRY, AND HATRED.FOUNDED IN 1961, HMLA IS THE FIRST SURVIVOR-FOUNDED AND OLDEST HOLOCAUST MUSEUM IN THE UNITED STATES AND HOME TO THE WEST COAST'S LARGEST COLLECTION OF HOLOCAUST-ERA ARTIFACTS AND TESTIMONIES.HMLA ACTIVATES ITS UNIQUE COLLECTION THROUGH ENGAGING TOURS, EXHIBITS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, AND INTERGENERATIONAL CONVERSATIONS WITH HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS, REACHING AUDIENCES WORLDWIDE.HMLA IS FREE FOR ALL STUDENTS AND YOUTH 17 AND YOUNGER AND COVER BUS TRANSPORTATION FOR TITLE 1 SCHOOLS. THE MUSEUM IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

Income
$16.0 million
Spending
$6.4 million
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
13 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 89%
Employees
34
Volunteers
110
Highest pay
$240,125, 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 13.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 60% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 33% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    18 of 19 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 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 (1)
  1. $4.8 million spent. PUBLIC VISITORS: THE MUSEUM'S CORE EXHIBIT, WHICH IS ARTIFACT RICH AND LAID OUT CHRONOLOGICALLY ACROSS EIGHT GALLERIES, PLACING THE EVENTS OF THE HOLOCAUST WITHIN A HISTORICAL AND SOCIALLY RELEVANT CONTEXT THAT ENABLES PUBLIC VISITORS TO HAVE A CUMULATIVE EXPERIENCE OVER TIME. PUBLIC VISITORS ARE WELCOMED AT THE MUSEUM 360 DAYS A YEAR. PUBLIC VISITORS: 26,847THE MUSEUM HOSTS PUBLIC PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, INCLUDING TALKS, CONCERTS, FILM SCREENINGS, STAGED READINGS, HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR TALKS, AND EXHIBITION OPENINGS. PUBLIC PROGRAMS SEEKS TO ENGAGE AUDIENCES IN THE SOCIAL RELEVANCE OF THE HOLOCAUST, INSPIRE HOPE, EMPATHY, AND UNDERSTANDING, AND BUILD COMMUNITY AIMED AT CREATING A MORE HUMANE WORLD. PUBLIC PROGRAMS: 3,036 STUDENT TOURS DOCENT LED TOURS ARE THE CORNERSTONE OF THE MUSEUM'S EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND INVITE STUDENTS IN GRADES 4-12 TO EXPLORE PRIMARY SOURCES, ENCOUNTER AND ANALYZE HISTORY, AND PARTICIPATE IN AN INTERGENERATIONAL CONVERSATION WITH A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR, WHO SHARES THEIR COMPELLING TESTIMONY WITH THE STUDENTS AND DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF ORAL HISTORY, RESILIENCY, AND TREATING PEOPLE WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT. MOST OF THE VOLUNTEER DOCENTS ARE PAST RETIREMENT AGE, OFFERING CONTINUED GENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS TO FORM AND DEVELOP. MANY PARTICIPATING STUDENTS ATTEND AREA TITLE I SCHOOLS, MANY OF WHICH ARE ASSISTED IN TRAVELING TO AND FROM THE MUSEUM WITH BUS TRANSPORTATION GRANTS TO COVER EXPENSES SUCH AS DRIVERS, BUS RENTALS, AND FUEL.STUDENTS SERVED: 90,997SCHOOLS SERVED: 321TRANSPORTATION GRANTS AWARDED: 39TRANSPORTATION GRANT STUDENTS: 2,949TITLE I SCHOOLS: 157TITLE I STUDENTS: 11,045

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

  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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. 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 October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since December 2002.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 2026.

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