Owsley Brown Frazier Historical Arms Museum Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO IGNITE THE HUMAN SPIRIT WITH THOUGHTFULLY CRAFTED STORIES TO SPARK CURIOSITY ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND OUR CONNECTION TO THE FUTURE.
- Income
- $4.3 million
- Spending
- $4.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- -13.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 36%
- Employees
- 81
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $174,926, president & ceo
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: 45 out of 100. Higher than 15% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 18% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 13% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 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 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2524 of 24 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a 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 (2)
- $3.6 million spent. EXHIBITION, PROJECTS & COLLECTION ITEMS:THE PERMANENT EXHIBITS OF THE MUSEUM SHOWCASE ARTIFACTS MADE BETWEEN THE 16TH AND 20TH CENTURIES WHICH INCLUDE THEMES OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, WESTWARD EXPANSION AND THE CIVIL WAR TO NAME A FEW. SEVERAL OF OUR FEATURED EXHIBITS INCLUDE THE BLOEDNER MONUMENT, PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S "BIG STICK AND THE FAMILY BIBLE OF DANIEL BOONE. THE TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS AND PROJECTS ENHANCE THE VISITOR'S MUSEUM EXPERIENCE BY THE "AWE" FACTOR AND "BLOCKBUSTER" EFFECT. THE ORGANIZATION'S COLLECTION IS MADE UP OF HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS THAT ARE HELD FOR EXHIBITION AND VARIOUS OTHER PROGRAMS. ITEMS ARE CATALOGUED, PRESERVED AND CARED FOR, AND ACTIVITIES VERIFYING THEIR EXISTENCE AND ASSESSING THEIR CONDITION ARE PERFORMED CONTINUOUSLY. THE MUSEUM MAINTAINS THE PRESERVATION, DISPLAY AND SAFE-KEEPING OF A VAST COLLECTION OF HISTORIC ARTIFACTS. TIMELY REVIEW, PREPARATION, AND PRESERVATION ARE PUT INTO THE HISTORIC COLLECTION AND OTHER OBJECTS THAT ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR ADDING TO THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION, WHICH AT TIMES CAN BE COSTLY, IN ORDER TO BUILD AN AUTHENTIC AND NOTEWORTHY HISTORICAL COLLECTION.
- $552,623 spent. EDUCATION:THE MUSEUM FEATURES GREAT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, LIVE PERFORMANCES BY COSTUMED INTERPRETERS, RE-ENACTMENTS, HANDS-ON INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATIONS, AND A 48-SEAT MOVIE THEATER. THE MUSEUM HAS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR ALL AGES. SCHOOL GROUPS, CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS AND FAMILIES ALL VISIT THE MUSEUM TO RECONNECT WITH THE PAST AND TO GAIN A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF HISTORY. THE MUSEUM HAS FACILITIES FOR SPECIAL EVENTS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMMING.
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 November 6, 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 February 2001.
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 November 4, 2026.
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