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International Petroleum Museum and Exposition Inc

EIN 72-1243629 · Morgan City, LA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak25 out of 100GovernanceGood74 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

The museum gathers, saves, preserves, and interprets artifacts and information about the offshore oil and gas industries and educates the public concerning the history, culture, and working conditions of these industries and on the impact and significance of these Cajun-born industries upon the rest of the world.

Income
$77,203
Spending
$142,138
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
-22.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 74%
Employees
2
Volunteers
4
Highest pay
$17,000, secretary-treasurer/director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 25 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

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

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 33% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 84% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 66% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    3 of 3 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (4)
  1. $3,200 spent. The museum educates the public in the history, culture, and working conditions of the offshore oil and gas industries utilizing the historic offshore drilling rig Mr. Charlie as a hands-on live aboard training area. Students were trained on the rig in formal classroom training. Hands-on training was done in actual offshore work settings on the rig. Many students also lived on the rig to give them a true offshore working and living experience.
  2. $32,166 spent. The museum educates the public in the history, culture, and working conditions of the offshore oil and gas industries by renovating and preserving the historic offshore drilling rig Mr. Charlie for generations to come to visit and train on. The renovations and preservation work is a daily task because of the ongoing tours and live aboard training. Some of the work is done by students as well as by volunteers.
  3. $26,016 spent. The museum educates the public in the history, culture, and working conditions of the offshore oil and gas industries by giving guided tours of the historic offshore drilling rig Mr. Charlie. Over 3,479 tourists from across the country and around the world visited the museum. The guided tours bring the tourists throughout the offshore drilling rig including the living and working areas of the rig. With the hands-on, live aboard training done on the rig, the tourists get to visit and actual working rig giving them a true offshore rig experience.
  4. $48,455 spent. The museum educates the public in the history, culture, and working conditions of the offshore oil and gas industries by erecting a monument of an offshore hardhat diver with explantation of the history of the oil and gas diving industry. Additional information and displays are provided in the museum's diving and ROV section.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 1994.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.