National World War II Museum Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM TELLS THE STORY OF THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IN THE WAR THAT CHANGED THE WORLD-WHY IT WAS FOUGHT, HOW IT WAS WON, AND WHAT IT MEANS TODAY-SO THAT ALL GENERATIONS WILL UNDERSTAND THE PRICE OF FREEDOM AND BE INSPIRED BY WHAT THEY LEARN.
- Income
- $95.2 million
- Spending
- $74.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 19.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 40%
- Employees
- 551
- Volunteers
- 352
- Highest pay
- $903,649, 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
Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 19.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 21% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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 2552 of 54 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)
- $51.4 million spent. THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MUSEUMCOLLECTIONS & PERMANENT EXHIBITS THE ARSENAL OF DEMOCRACY: THE HERMAN AND GEORGE R. BROWN SALUTE TO THE HOME FRONT INCLUDES GALLERIES THAT EXPLORE THE ROAD TO WAR AND THEN HOW THE WAR WAS FOUGHT ON THE HOME FRONT. ALLIED VICTORY WAS AN EPIC UNDERTAKING FUELED BY STATESIDE INDUSTRY, INGENUITY, AND THE LABOR OF MILLIONS OF PATRIOTIC AMERICANS. THROUGH MULTIMEDIA AND INTERACTIVE DISPLAYS, AND DRAWING ON ARTIFACTS AND ORAL HISTORIES FROM THE MUSEUM'S EXTENSIVE COLLECTIONS, THE ARSENAL OF DEMOCRACY CREATES COUNTLESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR VISITORS TO MAKE PERSONAL (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) CONNECTIONS WITH THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HELPED WIN THE WAR.THE D-DAY INVASION OF NORMANDY HELPS ONE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ALLIES FACED IN NORMANDY, FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PREPARATIONS BEFOREHAND TO THE DAUNTING CHALLENGES ONCE TROOPS LANDED ON NORMANDY BEACHES. VISITORS EXPLORE DEADLY FORTIFICATIONS AWAITING THE ALLIES, VIEW THE WEAPONS, UNIFORMS, AND GEAR OF THE GERMANS AND AMERICANS, AND MEET THE COMMANDERS OF OPERATION OVERLORD. THE ARTIFACTS AND STORIES OF INDIVIDUAL SOLDIERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION PUT A HUMAN FACE ON THE MOST DECISIVE DAY OF WORLD WAR II-JUNE 6, 1944. VISITORS HEAR FROM THE MEN WHO FOUGHT FOR UTAH, OMAHA, GOLD, JUNO, AND SWORD BEACHES. CAMPAIGNS OF COURAGE PAVILION - IN OVER 19,000 SQUARE FEET OF EXHIBIT SPACE, TWO EXTRAORDINARY EXHIBITIONS BRING VISITORS INSIDE THE EPIC STORY OF THE WAR IN ITS MOST INFAMOUS SETTINGS, BRINGING TO LIFE JUNGLES, BEACHES, MOUNTAINS, AND OCEANS IN 19 IMMERSIVE GALLERIES. ROAD TO TOKYO: PACIFIC THEATER GALLERIES RETRACES THE GRUELING TRAIL THAT LED FROM PEARL HARBOR TO TOKYO BAY BY WAY OF NEW GUINEA AND SOUTHEAST ASIA, THE HIMALAYAS, BURMA, THE ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC, CHINA, INDIA, AND ALASKA. EXHIBITS EXPLORE THE EVOLVING STRATEGY FOR FIGHTING RELENTLESS JAPANESE FORCES IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC, EXAMINING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES, LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES, AND THE STAGGERING RANGE OF EXTREME CONDITIONS THAT CONFRONTED AMERICAN MILITARY FORCES. CONVEYED THROUGH ARTIFACTS (INCLUDING A SHARK-FACED P-40 WARHAWK), ORAL HISTORIES, SERIALIZED "DOG TAG" PROFILES, SHORT FILMS, AND RECREATED ENVIRONMENTS, THIS IS THE STORY OF A WORLD THAT WAS UNIMAGINABLY ALIEN TO AMERICAN GIS, A CONFLICT OF SEARING BRUTALITY, AND A VICTORY SO DEVASTATING IT IS HOTLY DEBATED EVEN TODAY. ROAD TO BERLIN: EUROPEAN THEATER GALLERIES BRINGS TO LIFE THE DRAMA, SACRIFICES, PERSONAL STORIES, AND STRATEGIES OF AMERICA'S CAMPAIGN TO DEFEAT THE AXIS POWERS AND PRESERVE FREEDOM. FROM FALTERING FIRST BATTLES IN NORTH AFRICA TO THE BLOODY STRUGGLE AT GERMANY'S DOORSTEP, THE IMMERSIVE GALLERIES IN ROAD TO BERLIN RECREATE ACTUAL BATTLE SETTINGS AND VILLAGES-WITH CRUMBLING WALLS, BOMB-TORN ROOFTOPS, ICY PATHWAYS, AND A CHILLINGLY REALISTIC SOUNDSCAPE-AS THE EVOCATIVE BACKDROP FOR PERIOD NEWSREELS, VIDEO HISTORIES, INTERACTIVE KIOSKS, MACRO-ARTIFACTS, AND DIGITAL DISPLAYS DIVE DEEPER INTO THE STORY. THE RESULT IS A RICHLY LAYERED, MULTIMEDIA EXPERIENCE THAT INVITES EXPLORATION AND CONNECTION. VISITORS ARE ABLE TO WALK IN THE SHADOW OF NORMANDY'S BRUTALLY DENSE HEDGEROWS AND IMAGINE THE CHALLENGES THAT FOLLOWED D-DAY; ATTEND A MISSION BRIEFING WITH THE BOMBER BOYS AND GAIN PERSPECTIVE INSIDE AMERICA'S ALL-IMPORTANT AIR STRATEGY; AND SEE PERSONAL ARTIFACTS-CIGARETTE BOXES, PHOTOGRAPHS-SCATTERED OVER REAL NORMANDY SAND, PROVIDING A TOUCHING PERSPECTIVE ON THE HUMAN COST OF THE WAR.BEYOND ALL BOUNDARIES, A 4-D FILM SHOWING EXCLUSIVELY IN THE NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM'S SOLOMON VICTORY THEATER, IS A JOURNEY THROUGH THE WAR THAT CHANGED THE WORLD. BEYOND ALL BOUNDARIES FEATURES DAZZLING EFFECTS, CGI ANIMATION, MULTILAYERED ENVIRONMENTS, AND FIRST-PERSON ACCOUNTS FROM THE TRENCHES TO THE HOME FRONT. DURING WORLD WAR II, BOEING AND ITS PARTNERS WORKED TOGETHER TO PRODUCE A STAGGERING 98,965 AIRCRAFT, INCLUDING THE FAMED B-17 FLYING FORTRESS. THE GEORGE H.W. BUSH AVIATION GALLERY-LOCATED IN THE AIRSPACE OF THE US FREEDOM PAVILION: THE BOEING CENTER-FEATURES SIX FULLY RESTORED ICONIC WWII WARBIRDS. LIBERATION PAVILION, THE MUSEUM'S CAPSTONE EXHIBIT HALL, INCLUDES A NUMBER OF EXHIBITS THAT ILLUMINATE WHAT WORLD WAR II MEANS TODAY. FINDING HOPE IN A WORLD DESTROYED DEDICATES EIGHT GALLERIES TO EXPLORING THE IMMENSE STATES OF THE WAR AND THE COST OF VICTORY. VISITORS TRACE THE PERSECUTION OF EUROPE'S JEWISH POPULATION THROUGH THE STORY OF THE FRANK FAMILY, LEARN ABOUT THE CRUELTY OF THE NAZI CONCENTRATION CAMP SYSTEM AND HEAR FIRSTHAND ACCOUNTS THAT CONVEY THE COMPLICATED EMOTIONS FELT BY HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS AND THEIR AMERICAN LIBERATORS. DISCOVERING A TROVE OF PRICELESS ART REVEALS THE MAGNITUDE OF LOOTING BY THE NAZIS DURING WORLD WAR II AND THE EFFORTS OF THE ALLIED MONUMENTS MEN AND WOMEN TO LOCATE AND RETURN STOLEN CULTURAL TREASURES. RELIGIOUS ARTIFACTS FROM SERVICEMEMBERS OF DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS OFFER A GLIMPSE INTO THE CRITICAL ROLE FAITH PLAYED FOR MANY DURING WARTIME AND THE IMPORTANCE OF FREEDOM OF WORSHIP.FORCES OF FREEDOM AT HOME AND ABROAD:1945-PRESENT INCLUDES SIX GALLERIES THAT EXPLORE WORLD WAR II'S IMPACT IN THE POSTWAR PERIOD AND ITS LASTING EFFECTS TODAY. THE EXHIBIT EXPLORES THE EFFORTS TO REBUILD AND RESTORE JUSTICE IN THE WAKE OF THE WAR, EXAMINING THE EMERGENCE OF THE UNITES STATES AS A WORLD "SUPERPOWER" IN AN ERA MARKED BY PROSPERITY, SOCIAL CHANGE, AND THE TENSIONS OF THE COLD WAR. ARTIFACTS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIALS PUT NAMES AND FACES TO THE ATROCITIES COMMITTED BY GERMANY AND JAPAN AS POLICY, INTERACTIVE DISPLAYS LINK WARTIME INNOVATIONS TO THE SCIENTIFIC, TECHNOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL ADVANCEMENTS THAT CREATED NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN CIVILIAN LIFE.THE FIRST PART OF THE FREEDOM THEATER EXPERIENCE PROVIDES INSIGHT INTO ABOUT HOW AMERICA BECAME INVOLVED IN WORLD WAR II AND EMPHASIZES PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT'S FOUR FREEDOMS: FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND RELIGION, AND FREEDOM FROM WANT AND FEAR. THE THIRD FLOOR FREEDOM THEATRE OFFERS AUDIENCES A MULTIMEDI
- $8.7 million spent. EDUCATION AND CONFERENCESEDUCATIONAL TRAVEL PROGRAMWHILE THE NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM PROVIDES VIVID INSIGHT INTO THE WAR THAT CHANGED THE WORLD, NOTHING CAN TELL ITS STORY MORE DRAMATICALLY THAN A VISIT TO THE SITES WHERE VICTORY WAS FOUGHT FOR AND WON.AS THE NATION'S FOREMOST EXPERT IN WWII HISTORY, THE MUSEUM'S TRAVEL PROGRAM IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING THE HIGHEST QUALITY EDUCATIONAL CONTENT BY CREATING CUSTOM-CURATED ITINERARIES WITH RENOWNED HISTORIANS AND EXPERT LOCAL GUIDES WITH UNPARALLELED KNOWLEDGE OF WWII LOCATIONS- FROM LESSER-KNOWN SITES AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY TO THE NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM'S TRAVEL PROGRAMS TO ICONIC LANDMARKS (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL PROGRAM TOURS (CONTINUED): STEEPED IN HEROISM AND HISTORY. GUESTS EXPERIENCE A JOURNEY TO THE BEACHES, BRIDGES, CITIES, AND VILLAGES WHERE CRUCIAL BATTLES TOOK PLACE AND HISTORY-MAKING DECISIONS WERE MADE. TOURS GENERALLY INCLUDE THE EUROPEANEUROPEAN THEATRE OF OPERATIONS (ENGLAND, FRANCE, ITALY, GERMANY) AND THE PACIFIC THEATRE OF OPERATIONS (PHILIPPINES, JAPAN).IN ADDITION TO THE OVERSEAS TOURS, THE MUSEUM HOSTS DOMESTIC MULTI-DAY EXPERIENCES BASED AT THE MUSEUM'S CAMPUS IN NEW ORLEANS. THE EXPERIENCE THE VICTORY PROGRAM ALLOWS GUESTS TO BECOME FULLY IMMERSED IN THE MUSEUM'S EXHIBITS AND GALLERIES, ENJOY PRIVATE TOURS, AND PARTICIPATE IN LECTURES PROVIDED BY MUSEUM HISTORIANS. GUESTS ARE HOSTED AT THE MUSEUM'S HIGGINS HOTEL.K-12 EDUCATIONTHROUGH A BROAD RANGE OF ON-SITE AND DISTANCE-LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN BOTH STUDENT CURRICULA AND TEACHER TRAINING FOR GRADES K-12, THE MUSEUM ASPIRES TO BE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS THE PREMIERE EDUCATIONAL LEADER ON THE LEGACIES OF THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IN WORLD WAR II. THE NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM IS COMMITTED TO EDUCATION AND TO PROVIDING SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO TELL THE WWII STORY IN A FULL AND MEANINGFUL WAY. THE MUSEUM'S GENEROUS SUPPORTERS HELP MAKE MANY OF THESE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FREE OF CHARGE TO LEARNERS. TO DATE, MORE THAN 800,000 STUDENTS AND TEACHERS HAVE VISITED THE MUSEUM'S CAMPUS, AND EVEN MORE HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY THE LEGACY AND LESSONS OF THE WWII GENERATION THROUGH THE MUSEUM'S ONLINE PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES. MUSEUM STAFF ARE CONTINUOUSLY EXPANDING THE INSTITUTION'S CORE CURRICULUM AS THEY EXPLORE NEW CHAPTERS OF THE WAR AND CREATE PROGRAMMING INITIATIVES THAT BRING THE ENDURING LESSONS TO YOUNG MINDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SINCE 2006, THE MUSEUM'S SIGNATURE DISTANCE-LEARNING PROGRAM HAS ENCOURAGED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF LEARNERS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE TO SHARE CRITICAL LESSONS AND POWERFUL STORIES OF WORLD WAR II. WITHOUT LEAVING THE CLASSROOM, WORLD WAR II COMES TO LIFE FOR STUDENTS THROUGH THE MUSEUM'S EXCLUSIVE ARTIFACTS, ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE, CAPTIVATING PERSONAL TESTIMONY, AND INTERACTION WITH EXPERTS. NO MATTER WHAT A SCHOOL'S BUDGET OR LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY MAY BE, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS CAN GO ON IN-DEPTH EXPLORATIONS OF RELEVANT HISTORICAL TOPICS IN THE MUSEUM'S DYNAMIC VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS WHERE STUDENTS CAN BE TAKEN TO HISTORIC SITES ALL OVER THE WORLD. LED BY STUDENT REPORTERS, YOUNG PEOPLE LEARN ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL IMPACT OF WORLD WAR II IN THE PLACES WHERE HISTORY WAS MADE. THROUGH THE MUSEUM'S WEBINAR SERIES, STUDENTS CAN INTERACT LIVE WITH WWII EXPERTS, AUTHORS, HISTORIANS, HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS, AND WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHER STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. SINCE 2014, THE NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM HAS OFFERED IMMERSIVE RESIDENTIAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FOR TEACHERS ON ITS CAMPUS. HIGHLIGHTING POWERFUL WWII STORIES AND RICH PRIMARY SOURCES FROM THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION, THESE PROGRAMS HAVE TRAINED THOUSANDS OF TEACHERS. IN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF OFFERING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THE MUSEUM HAS REACHED 120 SUMMER TEACHER INSTITUTE PARTICIPANTS FROM 45 STATES WHO HAVE TRAINED NEARLY 3,000 OF THEIR COLLEAGUES AND OVER 100,000 STUDENTS BY WAY OF THE MUSEUM'S PRINT AND DIGITAL TEACHING TOOLS. THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF MUSEUM PARTNERS, EDUCATORS PARTICIPATING IN THESE PROGRAMS ARE ABLE TO ATTEND FREE OF CHARGE, EQUIPPING THEM WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO BRING THE LESSONS AND LEGACIES OF WORLD WAR II TO THEIR STUDENTS. THE EDUCATORS ARE HOSTED AT THE MUSEUM'S HIGGINS HOTEL. AN ADDITIONAL 100 REAL WORLD SCIENCE PARTICIPANTS HAVE PUT THESE INTERDISCIPLINARY LESSONS TO USE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. BY INTRODUCING TEACHERS TO THE WIDE RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES AT THE MUSEUM, BOTH ON-SITE AND THROUGH ITS VAST ONLINE RESOURCES, THE MUSEUM IS RAPIDLY EXTENDING ITS EDUCATIONAL MISSION THROUGHOUT COMMUNITIES IN EVERY REGION OF THE UNITED STATES.HIGHER EDUCATION AND LIFELONG LEARNINGEQUALLY ESSENTIAL TO THE MUSEUM'S K-12 EDUCATIONAL MISSION IS OUTREACH TO ALL GENERATIONS INTERESTED IN STUDYING THE WAR. THE MUSEUM'S EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES RANGE FROM A WWII MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAM TO TEACHER-TRAINING INITIATIVES TO LONGSTANDING PUBLIC EVENTS AIMED AT CONNECTING AUDIENCES WITH LEADING WWII SCHOLARS. THE HUB FOR ALL MUSEUM PUBLIC PROGRAMMING AND DISTANCE-LEARNING OUTREACH IS THE HALL OF DEMOCRACY, WHICH FEATURES A GRAND SPECIAL-EXHIBITION HALL, STUNNING RESEARCH LIBRARY, AND STATE-OF-THE-ART MULTIMEDIA TECHNOLOGY. THE INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF WAR AND DEMOCRACY SERVES AS THE RESEARCH CORE AND THE HIGHER EDUCATION CENTER OF THE NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM. THE INSTITUTE'S GOAL IS TO PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY, SCHOLARLY PROGRAMMING AND RESEARCH TO PUBLIC AND EXPERT AUDIENCES FOCUSED ON THE HISTORY OF WORLD WAR II, ITS LEGACIES AND LESSONS, AND HOW THE WAR IS REMEMBERED AROUND THE WORLD TODAY.ONE OF THE INSTITUTE'S KEY PROGRAMS IS THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WORLD WAR II. THE 18TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE WAS HELD NOVEMBER 22, 2025 AT THE HIGGINS HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTER WITH OVER 352 ATTENDEES. THE SOLD-OUT CONFERENCE INCLUDED ACADEMICS, HISTORY ENTHUSIASTS AND VETERANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. THE EVENT FEATURED TOP SCHOLARS, AUTHORS AND HISTORIANS AND VETERANS DISCUSSING PIVOTAL WWII TOPICS THROUGH EXPERT PANELS, Q&A SESSIONS, BOOK SIGNINGS AND RECEPTI
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 October 1992.
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.
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.