Childrens Museum of Atlanta Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO CHANGE THE WORLD BY SPARKING EVERY CHILD'S IMAGINATION, SENSE OF DISCOVERY AND LEARNING THROUGH THE POWER OF PLAY.
- Income
- $3.8 million
- Spending
- $4.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 2.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 49%
- Employees
- 87
- Volunteers
- 100
- Highest pay
- $168,876, 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: 47 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.4 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 40% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 40 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: 92 out of 100. Higher than 54% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2527 of 27 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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)
- $3.5 million spent. CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF ATLANTA (CMA) OPERATES AS AN INSTITUTION OF INFORMAL LEARNING FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, THEIR PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND TEACHERS. THROUGH INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS, PROGRAMS, WORKSHOPS, AND EXTENSIVE OUTREACH. THE MUSEUM OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS SUBJECTS AND ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT AND RELEVANT TO SCHOOLS, FAMILIES, AND THE COMMUNITY. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MUSEUM VISITORS AND CHILDREN WHO HAVE VISITED THE MUSEUM HAS SURPASSED 3,500,000 SINCE OPENING IN 2003. THE EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS BELOW WERE PRESENTED THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-25. VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING CONTINUED TO ENSURE ACCESS AND EQUITY TO CMA PROGRAMS. THE MUSEUM CHANGED IN-PERSON REQUIREMENTS TO ALIGN WITH THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL'S GUIDANCE AND PROVIDE GUESTS ACCESS TO IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING.EXHIBITS & PROGRAMMING: PRESENTED THE FOLLOWING FEATURE EXHIBITS: ANIMATIONLAND, MAY 18, 2024 SEPTEMBER 8, 2024: GUESTS WERE INVITED ON A FANTASTICAL JOURNEY TO CREATE STORIES USING ART AND SCIENCE, CHANNELING THEIR CREATIVITY USING ANIMATION BASICS SUCH AS STORYBOARDING, SKETCHING, STOP-MOTION MOVIE MAKING, AND MORE. CHILDREN ENGAGED IN INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING CREATING 14-FRAME ANIMATIONS, EXPERIMENTING WITH FRAME RATES AND MOVEMENT CONCEPTS, AND USING THE FOLEY BOOTH TO ADD SOUNDS TO ANIMATED CLIPS. WALLACE & GROMIT: GET CRACKING!, SEPTEMBER 21, 2024 JANUARY 12, 2025: THIS INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT INVITED CHILDREN TO STEP INTO THE NORTH ENGLAND HOME OF CHEESE-LOVING INVENTOR WALLACE AND HIS LOYAL DOG, GROMIT. DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN AGES 3 THROUGH 9, THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDED LAUNCHING PORRIDGE FROM A CANNON, FIXING THE BROKEN AUTOCHEF, CREATING THEIR OWN CRACKING CONTRAPTIONS, BLASTING OFF IN WALLACE'S ROCKET TO THE MOON, AND HOPPING INTO PRESTON'S TRUCK. THE EXHIBIT BUILT ON PROBLEM-SOLVING THEMES WHILE ENCOURAGING CHILDREN TO SOLVE STEM-BASED AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS PLAYFULLY. XOXO: AN EXHIBIT ABOUT LOVE & FORGIVENESS, JANUARY 25, 2025 MAY 4, 2025: THIS EXHIBIT PROVIDED CHILDREN AND CAREGIVERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE FEELINGS THROUGH ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND AND EXPRESS THEIR EMOTIONS. CHILDREN ENGAGED IN INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS ILLUMINATING HIDDEN MESSAGES ABOUT LOVE, ANSWERING QUESTIONS AT THE RESPONSE WALL, CREATING SILHOUETTES USING LIGHT BOXES, BUILDING FACIAL EXPRESSIONS USING EMPATHY BLOCKS, AND RELEASING NEGATIVE FEELINGS THROUGH A PAPER SHREDDER. THE EXHIBIT HELPED CHILDREN UNDERSTAND AND MANAGE THEIR EMOTIONS WHILE FOSTERING EMPATHY AND ENHANCING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE.SCOOBY-DOO! MANSION MAYHEM, MAY 17, 2025 SEPTEMBER 7, 2025: THIS IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE ALLOWED FAMILIES TO JOIN MYSTERY INC. TO ANALYZE CLUES AND PUT THEIR PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS TO THE TEST. CHILDREN WORKED THROUGH THE MANSION ROOMS, MEETING DIFFERENT CHARACTERS FROM THE ICONIC TV SHOW. ACTIVITIES INCLUDED DISCOVERING THE VILLAIN'S HIDDEN CONTROL PANEL IN THE HALL OF PORTRAITS, BUILDING TRAPS WITH FRED IN THE VILLAIN'S TINKERING WORKSHOP, PARTICIPATING IN GHOST CHASES WITH SHAGGY AND SCOOBY-DOO IN THE KITCHEN, AND SOLVING MUSICAL PUZZLES WITH VELMA IN THE LIBRARY MUSIC ROOM.ONGOING PARTNERSHIPS - WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS, ARTISTS, EXPERTS, AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS ENABLE US TO PROVIDE INNOVATIVE AND RELEVANT EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS A FULL RANGE OF TOPICS AND ISSUES. OVER 200 INDIVIDUALS FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTICIPATE ON A VARIETY OF COMMITTEES EACH YEAR, WHICH ENSURES DEPTH, ACCURACY AND TARGETED MESSAGES AND FOCUS.CMA PRESENTS SCIENCE, HEALTH, LITERACY, DIVERSITY, ARTS, SOCIAL STUDIES, AND SAFETY PROGRAMS THROUGH: -INNOVATION STATION - ONGOING HANDS-ON STEM BASED EXPERIENCES WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS -SCIENCE BAR - ONGOING HANDS-ON EXPLORATION OF SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS AND EXPERIENCES FACILITATED BY STAFF SCIENTIST -MULTI-CULTURAL HOLIDAY PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO HIGHLIGHT THE MANY CULTURES THAT CALL ATLANTA HOME. -BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATIONS -EXPLORE THE MUSEUM PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM AND THEIR FAMILIES.COMMUNITY OUTREACH: -FREE AND REDUCED-PRICE ADMISSION PROVIDED THROUGH GRANTS FROM FOUNDATIONSMUSEUMS FOR ALL: A KEY PROGRAM IN THE MUSEUM'S STRATEGY TO ENSURE ACCESS FOR ALL CHILDREN IS MUSEUMS FOR ALL. MUSEUMS FOR ALL IS A FEDERAL INITIATIVE OF THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES WHEREBY MUSEUMS PROVIDE FREE OR REDUCED ADMISSION TO THOSE RECEIVING FOOD ASSISTANCE. CMA OFFERS $5 ADMISSION FOR SNAP BENEFITS RECIPIENTS. THE MUSEUM CONTINUED TO SERVE THOUSANDS OF GUESTS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM THROUGHOUT FY25, DEMONSTRATING THE DEEP COMMUNITY NEED FOR ACCESS AND ENSURING THAT MORE CHILDREN AND THEIR ADULT CAREGIVERS CAN EXPERIENCE THE MUSEUM.FAMILY FREE DAY: A SPONSORED FULL DAY EACH QUARTER THAT IS THEMED AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FREE OF CHARGE. PARTNERSHIPS WITH AREA ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS BRING SPECIFIC THEMED EXPERIENCES TO LIFE. THOUSANDS OF GUESTS RESERVED TICKETS THROUGHOUT FY25. SURVEY RESULTS CONTINUED TO INDICATE: -100% OF GUESTS VISITED CMA BECAUSE ADMISSION WAS FREE -83% OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS AGREE THAT THE EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS FOUNDATIONS AT THE MUSEUM WERE EDUCATIONAL AND FUN FOR THEIR CHILD/CHILDREN -85% OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS REPORTED BETTER UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY IN THEIR CHILDS LIFE AS A RESULT OF ATTENDING -93% OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS AGREE THAT AFTER VISITING THE MUSEUM, THEY ARE MORE INTERESTED IN USING THE MUSEUM AS AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE FOR THEIR FAMILY -95% OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS RATE THEIR VISIT TO THE MUSEUM AS EXCELLENTCONNECTED LEARNING/CONNECTED COMMUNITIES - CONTINUED TO PROVIDE WEEKLY PROGRAMMING IN SEVEN OF ATLANTA'S MOST UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS. THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM THROUGHOUT FY25 AND HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED: -90% OF SURVEYED EDUCATORS AGREE THAT STUDENTS LEARNED SOMETHING NEW DURING CLCC PROGRAMMING THAT INCREASED STUDENT KNOWLEDGE OF GELDS OR GPS OBJECTIVES, AND THE PROGRAM SUPPORTED AND REINFORCED THE GELDS OR GPS OBJECTIVES.-100% OF SURVEYED EDUCATO
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 August 1988.
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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