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Discovery Place Inc

EIN 56-0529944 · Charlotte, NC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair58 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE BRING SCIENCE, NATURE, AND DESIGN TOGETHER TO CREATE TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCES THAT ENABLE OUR COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND, ENJOY, AND APPLY SCIENCE TO THEIR LIVES.

Income
$16.4 million
Spending
$16.8 million
Spent on programs
75%
Reserves
-1.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 50%
Employees
253
Volunteers
194
Highest pay
$538,162, chief executive officer

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: 58 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 17% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    75% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    26 of 26 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 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)
  1. $12.6 million spent. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, EXPERIENCES & EXHIBITS: DISCOVERY PLACE, INC, OPERATES FOUR MUSEUMS SERVING 539,951 GUESTS ANNUALLY. THIS INCLUDES 64,384 THROUGH WELCOME, AN ECONOMIC ACCESSIBILITY PROGRAM.SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS WAS MADE ON TWO MAJOR CAPITAL FACILITY PROJECTS DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025. CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHARLOTTE MUSEUM OF NATURE CONTINUED STEADILY AND REMAINS ON TRACK FOR A MID-TO-LATE 2026 OPENING. ALTHOUGH RENOVATIONS AT DISCOVERY PLACE KIDS ROCKINGHAM WERE COMPLETED IN FISCAL YEAR 2024, FINAL EXPENDITURES FROM THE PROJECT'S ALLOCATED FUNDS WERE COMPLETED IN FISCAL YEAR 2025. WE RECOGNIZED RESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION REVENUES TIED TO BOTH INITIATIVES AND INCURRED ADDITIONAL EXPENSES TO SUPPORT THEIR CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT. THESE ACTIVITIES ARE REFLECTED IN OUR OVERALL REVENUE AND SUPPORT TOTALS.IMAX:IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, DISCOVERY PLACE OPERATED THE CHARLOTTE IMAX DOME THEATRE, WELCOMING 69,668 GUESTS TO EXPERIENCE ITS STATE-OF-THE-ART LASER PROJECTION, IMMERSIVE 12-CHANNEL SOUND SYSTEM, AND THE SOPHISTICATED DIGISTAR 7 PLANETARIUM PLATFORM. THE THEATRE'S RICH PROGRAMMING LINEUP INCLUDED FIRST-RUN HOLLYWOOD FILMS, EDUCATIONAL DOCUMENTARIES, CAPTIVATING PLANETARIUM PRESENTATIONS, AND DISTINCTIVE ALTERNATIVE CONTENT SUCH AS MESMERICA. THESE ENGAGING EXPERIENCES CONTINUED TO ATTRACT NEW AUDIENCES, WITH INCREASING INTEREST FROM ADULT VISITORS.OUTREACH:IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, OUTREACH PROGRAMMING ENGAGED 18,285 STUDENTS THROUGH 419 DELIVERED PROGRAMS. THIS STRONG PERFORMANCE WAS DRIVEN IN PART BY MULTIPLE AFTERSCHOOL CONTRACTS, ENABLING THE TEAM TO PROVIDE HANDS-ON STEM LEARNING EXPERIENCES TO YOUTH ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.YOUTH DEVELOPMENT:IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING DELIVERED 14 DISTINCT INITIATIVES, REACHING 620 STUDENTS FROM 54 SCHOOLS. THIS ROBUST PORTFOLIO OFFERS MULTIPLE ENTRY POINTS AND PATHWAYS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, AND EARLY COLLEGE STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN STEM EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. SIGNATURE PROGRAMS INCLUDE STEM APPRENTICESHIP, MAYOR'S YOUTH EMPLOYMENT INTERNS, GIRLS DAY OUT, GIRLS IN STEM, STEM PATHWAYS INTERNSHIP, CLUB CODE, STEM YOUTH SUMMIT, AND QC CODE QUEST.SUMMER CAMPS:DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025, DISCOVERY PLACE SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY PLACE KIDS HUNTERSVILLE HOSTED A VIBRANT SEASON OF SUMMER CAMPS. WITH 30 THEMED CAMPS OFFERED OVER 50 TOTAL SESSIONS, THE PROGRAM DELIVERED ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR OF HANDS-ON LEARNING, FEATURING WEEKLY THEMES DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN FROM PRE-K THROUGH 8TH GRADE.ADULT PROGRAMMING:IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, DISCOVERY PLACE HOSTED A SERIES OF ADULT-ONLY PROGRAMS, WELCOMING A TOTAL OF 8,248 GUESTS. THESE EVENTS INCLUDED SCIENCE ON THE ROCKS, MACABRE MASQUERADE, AND A SCIENCE STUDIO TERRARIUM BUILD WORKSHOP, ALL DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR AUDIENCES AGED 21 AND OLDER.SCIENCE ON THE ROCKS IS AN EVENING EXPERIENCE THAT OFFERS EXCLUSIVE AFTER-HOURS ACCESS TO MUSEUM EXHIBITS, HANDS-ON SCIENCE ACTIVITIES, LIVE PERFORMANCES, MUSIC, IMAX SCREENINGS, WORKSHOPS, AND A VARIETY OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE OPTIONS. MACABRE MASQUERADE, A SIGNATURE HALLOWEEN EVENT FOR ADULTS, TRANSFORMS THE MUSEUM WITH THEMED ENVIRONMENTS, SPECIALTY COCKTAILS, A VIP LOUNGE FEATURING EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCES, COSTUME CONTESTS, IMMERSIVE ACTIVITIES, AND PERFORMANCES BY AERIALISTS, FORENSIC SCIENCE EXPERTS, AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL ENTERTAINERS. THE SCIENCE STUDIO TERRARIUM BUILD WORKSHOP WAS A UNIQUE BLEND OF INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP AND EXHIBIT, FOCUSED ON CONSERVATION AND INSPIRED BY THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S BECOMING JANE GOODALL EXHIBITION. TOGETHER, THESE PROGRAMS HAVE ENABLED DISCOVERY PLACE TO ENGAGE NEW ADULT AUDIENCES AND DIVERSIFY OUR OFFERINGS, EXPANDING OUR REACH ACROSS DIFFERENT AUDIENCE SEGMENTS.DPK SPECIAL PROGRAMS:ALONGSIDE DAILY PROGRAMMING, DISCOVERY PLACE KIDS LOCATIONS IN HUNTERSVILLE AND ROCKINGHAM HOSTED A VARIETY OF SIGNATURE EVENTS DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025, WELCOMING A COMBINED TOTAL OF 4,396 GUESTS. BOTH MUSEUMS FEATURED COUNTDOWN TO KINDERGARTEN, NOON YEAR'S EVE, AND STORYBOOK BALL. ADDITIONALLY, DISCOVERY PLACE KIDS ROCKINGHAM PRESENTED WINTER WONDERLAND, WHILE DISCOVERY PLACE KIDS HUNTERSVILLE OFFERED SEASONAL FAVORITES SUCH AS GHOULY GALA AND FROST FEST.

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

  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 June 2025.

    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 January 1950.

    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.

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.