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Hillwood Estate Museum & Gardens

EIN 52-6080752 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

HILLWOOD ESTATE, MUSEUM & GARDEN'S (HILLWOOD) MISSION IS TO SHARE THE RENOWNED ART COLLECTIONS, EXCEPTIONAL GARDENS AND RELATED PUBLIC AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WITH A WIDE AND DIVERSE AUDIENCE. SINCE ITS OPENING, HILLWOOD HAS SERVED HUNDREDS-OF-THOUSANDS OF VISITORS, INCLUDING LOCAL AND VISITING MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC, FAMILIES (TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL), CURATORS AND SCHOLARS, AND PRE-SCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

Income
$20.8 million
Spending
$16.1 million
Spent on programs
73%
Reserves
Over 10 years of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 80%
Employees
166
Volunteers
365
Highest pay
$520,621, executive director

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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 23% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 22% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    73% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 41 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 13% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    24 of 24 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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 (3)
  1. $11.8 million spent. PHYSICAL PLANT: HILLWOOD'S TWENTY-FIVE ACRE ESTATE COMPRISES TWELVE ACRES OF MANICURED GARDENS, INCLUDING A JAPANESE-STYLE GARDEN, A FRENCH PARTERRE, A ROSE GARDEN, PUTTING GREEN, CUTTING GARDEN, AND MANY PATHWAYS WINDING THROUGH AZALEAS AND OTHER BLOOMING SHRUBS, SURROUNDED BY THIRTEEN ACRES OF WOODLANDS. THE 26,000 SQUARE FOOT MANSION, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, DISPLAYS POST'S EXTENSIVE ART COLLECTIONS IN THE ORIGINAL DOMESTIC SETTING SHE CREATED FOR HER OWN AND HER GUESTS' ENJOYMENT AND TO BE LEFT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC AFTER HER DEMISE. OTHER BUILDINGS ON THE CAMPUS INCLUDE THE VISITORS CENTER, GREENHOUSES, CAFE, LIBRARY, TWO BUILDINGS WHERE SPECIAL EXHIBITS ARE SHOWN, AND NUMEROUS STAFF BUILDINGS. THERE ARE A TOTAL OF SIXTEEN STRUCTURES AND ONE PARKING DECK ON SITE.
  2. COLLECTIONS: IMPORTANT COLLECTIONS OF RUSSIAN IMPERIAL ART, FRENCH DECORATIVE ARTS, COSTUMES, TEXTILES AND JEWELRY ARE DISPLAYED IN THE MANSION AND THROUGH SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RUSSIAN COLLECTION INCLUDE AN 1884 DIAMOND CROWN WORN BY THE LAST EMPRESS ALEXANDRA AT HER MARRIAGE TO NICHOLAS II; AND A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF SOME EIGHTY WORKS BY FABERGE, INCLUDING TWO IMPERIAL EASTER EGGS. THE FRENCH HOLDINGS INCLUDE FUNISHINGS, TAPESTRIES AND PORCELAIN, PRIMARILY FROM THE 18TH CENTURY, NUMEROUS PIECES OF FAMED SEVRES PORCELAIN AND SPECTACULAR BEAUVAIS TAPESTRIES DESIGNED BY FRANCOIS BOUCHER. THE FASHION HOLDINGS SPAN THE FIRST SEVEN DECADES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY AND THE JEWELRY COLLECTION FEATURES HISTORICAL PIECES AND WORKS FROM THE MAIN JEWELRY HOUSES FOT EH 1900'S, INCLUDING CARTIER, HARRY WINSTON ADN VAN CLEEF & ARPELS. IN TOTAL, HILLWOOD'S COLLECTIONS INCLUDE SOME 20,000 OBJECTS.
  3. INTERPRETATION AND PROGRAMS: THROUGH ITS IMMERSIVE VISITOR EXPERIENCE, ROBUST CALENDAR OF SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS AND PUBLIC AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, HILLWOOD SERVES OVER 80,000 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY. ALL VISITORS TO HILLWOOD HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATIONAL TOURS, INCLUDING DOCENT-LED TOURS, SELF-GUIDED TOURS ACCOMPANIED BY RICH INFORMATIONAL BOOKLETS AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH, FRENCH, SPANISH AND RUSSIAN, AND SELF-GUIDED AUDIO TOURS FOR THE MANSION AND GARDENS, ALL OF WHICH ARE SUPPLEMENTED BY EXPLANATORY OBJECT LABELS.HILLWOOD ROUTINELY ENGAGES WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE ART DECO SOCIETY, ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL, LEVINE SCHOOL OF MUSIC, RAINBOW FAMILIES, KIDS EUROFEST, GIRL SCOUT TROOPS REGION-WIDE, AS WELL AS EMBASSIES SUCH AS FRENCH, BELGIAN, SPANISH AND THE NETHERLANDS.

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 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 December 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 August 2019.

    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.