Asheville Museum of Science
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE ASHEVILLE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE (AMOS) IS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA'S HOME FOR EXPERIENTIAL SCIENCE LEARNING, DISCOVERY, AND EXPLORATION. AMOS STRIVES TO SPARK THE IMAGINATION AND FOSTER LIFELONG CURIOSITY.
- Income
- $946,245
- Spending
- $905,731
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 24.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 51%
- Employees
- 18
- Volunteers
- 51
- Highest pay
- $83,724, executive di
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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 24.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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: 83 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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
6 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 (5)
- $732,828 spent. DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD, ASHEVILLE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE (AMOS) ADVANCED ITS MISSION TO SPARK IMAGINATION AND FOSTER LIFELONG CURIOSITY THROUGH HIGH-QUALITY STEAM PROGRAMMING AND INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT EXPERIENCES, WHILE RESPONDING TO THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITIES FOLLOWING HURRICANE HELENE. AS SCHOOLS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY SYSTEMS EXPERIENCED DISRUPTION, AMOS ADAPTED ITS PROGRAMS AND SPACES TO SERVE AS CONSISTENT, WELCOMING, AND RESTORATIVE ENVIRONMENTS FOR LEARNING, CONNECTION, AND RECOVERY.
- STEAM PROGRAMMING: AMOS DELIVERED HANDS-ON, EXPERIENTIAL STEAM EDUCATION THROUGH FIELD TRIPS, OUTREACH, AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, SCIENCE CAMPS, WORKSHOPS, AND FACILITATED EXPERIMENTS. GROUNDED IN LEARNING-THROUGH-PLAY AND INFORMAL INSTRUCTION, THESE PROGRAMS SUPPORTED BOTH ACADEMIC GROWTH AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING DURING A YEAR OF RECOVERY. AREA EDUCATORS AND FAMILIES CONTINUED TO RELY ON AMOS FOR ENGAGING, STANDARDS-ALIGNED STEAM EXPERIENCES THAT HELP CLOSE OPPORTUNITY GAPS AND INCREASE INTEREST IN STEM FIELDS. SPECIFICALLY, AMOS SERVED: -8500 STUDENTS THROUGH FIELD TRIPS -3500 STUDENTS THROUGH OUTREACH -900 STUDENTS THROUGH AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS -400 STUDENTS THROUGH SCIENCE CAMPS STEAM PROGRAMMING: AMOS DELIVERED HANDS-ON, EXPERIENTIAL STEAM EDUCATION THROUGH FIELD TRIPS, OUTREACH, AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, SCIENCE CAMPS, WORKSHOPS, AND FACILITATED EXPERIMENTS. GROUNDED IN LEARNING-THROUGH-PLAY AND INFORMAL INSTRUCTION, THESE PROGRAMS SUPPORTED BOTH ACADEMIC GROWTH AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING DURING A YEAR OF RECOVERY. AREA EDUCATORS AND FAMILIES CONTINUED TO RELY ON AMOS FOR ENGAGING, STANDARDS-ALIGNED STEAM EXPERIENCES THAT HELP CLOSE OPPORTUNITY GAPS AND INCREASE INTEREST IN STEM FIELDS. SPECIFICALLY, AMOS SERVED: -8500 STUDENTS THROUGH FIELD TRIPS -3500 STUDENTS THROUGH OUTREACH -900 STUDENTS THROUGH AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS -400 STUDENTS THROUGH SCIENCE CAMPS
- EXHIBIT EXPLORATION AND PLAY: AMOS PROVIDED 8,000 SQUARE FEET OF HANDS-ON EXHIBITS AND AN INTERACTIVE STEM LAB, OFFERING FAMILIES SAFE, ENGAGING SPACES FOR EXPLORATION, PLAY, AND RECONNECTION FOLLOWING HURRICANE HELENE. INFORMAL FACILITATION BY EDUCATORS AND GUEST EXPERIENCE STAFF SUPPORTED MULTIGENERATIONAL LEARNING AND MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT. DURING THE YEAR, AMOS HOSTED GIFTS OF THE GALAXY, A METEORITE EXHIBIT THAT ALLOWED VISITORS TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH RARE PIECES OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, AND SUN, EARTH, UNIVERSE, A TRAVELING EXHIBIT DESIGNED BY NASA EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOLAR ACTIVITY, EARTH SYSTEMS, AND CLIMATE. THESE EXHIBITS RESONATED STRONGLY WITH VISITORS IN A POST-DISASTER CONTEXT, REINFORCING THEMES OF SCIENCE, ENVIRONMENT, AND RESILIENCE. AMOS ALSO ADVANCED STRATEGIC EXHIBIT IMPROVEMENTS BY RELOCATING THE MUSEUM SHOP TO THE LOBBY TO INCREASE VISIBILITY AND INTRODUCING NEW CONTENT FOCUSED ON WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA'S NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, AND CLIMATE CONSCIOUSNESS. PLANNED ART-AND-SCIENCE INSTALLATIONS, SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN 2025, WILL FURTHER STRENGTHEN AMOS'S ROLE AS A HUB FOR LEARNING, RECOVERY, AND LONG-TERM COMMUNITY RESILIENCE. EXHIBIT EXPLORATION AND PLAY: AMOS PROVIDED 8,000 SQUARE FEET OF HANDS-ON EXHIBITS AND AN INTERACTIVE STEM LAB, OFFERING FAMILIES SAFE, ENGAGING SPACES FOR EXPLORATION, PLAY, AND RECONNECTION FOLLOWING HURRICANE HELENE. INFORMAL FACILITATION BY EDUCATORS AND GUEST EXPERIENCE STAFF SUPPORTED MULTIGENERATIONAL LEARNING AND MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT. DURING THE YEAR, AMOS HOSTED GIFTS OF THE GALAXY, A METEORITE EXHIBIT THAT ALLOWED VISITORS TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH RARE PIECES OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, AND SUN, EARTH, UNIVERSE, A TRAVELING EXHIBIT DESIGNED BY NASA EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOLAR ACTIVITY, EARTH SYSTEMS, AND CLIMATE. THESE EXHIBITS RESONATED STRONGLY WITH VISITORS IN A POST-DISASTER CONTEXT, REINFORCING THEMES OF SCIENCE, ENVIRONMENT, AND RESILIENCE. AMOS ALSO ADVANCED STRATEGIC EXHIBIT IMPROVEMENTS BY RELOCATING THE MUSEUM SHOP TO THE LOBBY TO INCREASE VISIBILITY AND INTRODUCING NEW CONTENT FOCUSED ON WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA'S NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, AND CLIMATE CONSCIOUSNESS. PLANNED ART-AND-SCIENCE INSTALLATIONS, SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN 2025, WILL FURTHER STRENGTHEN AMOS'S ROLE AS A HUB FOR LEARNING, RECOVERY, AND LONG-TERM COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.
- $115,304 spent. GALAXY GAMES: GALAXY GAMES EXEMPLIFIES AMOS'S INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO INTERDISCIPLINARY LEARNING. DEVELOPED THROUGH THE INTEGRATING STEM AND LITERATURE INITIATIVE (ISLI) IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BUNCOMBE COUNTY SCHOOLS, THE PROGRAM INTEGRATES ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND SCIENCE THROUGH PROBLEM- BASED LEARNING. AS STUDENTS BUILD BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE IN THE CLASSROOM, AMOS PROVIDES ALIGNED SCIENCE CURRICULUM AND A CULMINATING FIELD TRIP EXPERIENCE, WHERE STUDENTS APPLY THEIR LEARNING BY CREATING AN ASTRONOMY- THEMED BOARD GAME. THE PROGRAM SERVES THIRD-GRADE STUDENTS ACROSS BUNCOMBE COUNTY SCHOOLS, WITH A TARGETED FOCUS ON TITLE I SCHOOLS SERVING HIGH-NEED POPULATIONS (72 -99% OF STUDENTS RECEIVING FREE OR REDUCED LUNCH). DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD, GALAXY GAMES SERVED 459 STUDENTS ACROSS EIGHT SCHOOLS, STRENGTHENING STEM CONTENT KNOWLEDGE, CREATIVITY, COLLABORATION, AND RESILIENCE DURING A YEAR OF RECOVERY.
- GALAXY GAMES: GALAXY GAMES EXEMPLIFIES AMOS'S INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO INTERDISCIPLINARY LEARNING. DEVELOPED THROUGH THE INTEGRATING STEM AND LITERATURE INITIATIVE (ISLI) IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BUNCOMBE COUNTY SCHOOLS, THE PROGRAM INTEGRATES ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND SCIENCE THROUGH PROBLEM- BASED LEARNING. AS STUDENTS BUILD BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE IN THE CLASSROOM, AMOS PROVIDES ALIGNED SCIENCE CURRICULUM AND A CULMINATING FIELD TRIP EXPERIENCE, WHERE STUDENTS APPLY THEIR LEARNING BY CREATING AN ASTRONOMY- THEMED BOARD GAME. THE PROGRAM SERVES THIRD-GRADE STUDENTS ACROSS BUNCOMBE COUNTY SCHOOLS, WITH A TARGETED FOCUS ON TITLE I SCHOOLS SERVING HIGH-NEED POPULATIONS (72 -99% OF STUDENTS RECEIVING FREE OR REDUCED LUNCH). DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD, GALAXY GAMES SERVED 459 STUDENTS ACROSS EIGHT SCHOOLS, STRENGTHENING STEM CONTENT KNOWLEDGE, CREATIVITY, COLLABORATION, AND RESILIENCE DURING A YEAR OF RECOVERY.
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 June 1983.
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.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: Museum of Science (Boston, MA), EIN 04-2103916. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.