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Witte Museum

EIN 74-1400537 · San Antonio, TX

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair61 out of 100GovernanceStrong93 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE WITTE MUSEUM INSPIRES PEOPLE TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF TEXAS THROUGH TRANSFORMATIVE AND RELEVANT EXPERIENCES IN NATURE, SCIENCE AND CULTURE.

Income
$15.7 million
Spending
$13.1 million
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
-14.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 54%
Employees
101
Volunteers
250
Highest pay
$221,038, president and ceo (former)

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

Fair: 61 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

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

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 23% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 28% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    28 of 29 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or 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 (3)
  1. $6.2 million spent. IN THIS PERIOD, APPROXIMATELY 350,000 PEOPLE VISITED THE MUSEUM FOR EXHIBITIONS, PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL EVENTS. THE MUSUEM CONTINUES TO ENCOUNTER CHALLENGES RELATIVE TO ACHIEVING PRE-PANDEMIC VISITATION LEVELS. THE WITTE IS WHERE NATURE, SCIENCE AND CULTURE MEET, WITH MORE THAN 200,000 SQUARE FEET OF EXHIBITION AND PROGRAM SPACE AS ITS MAIN CAMPUS, LOCATED ON 10 ACRES ALONG THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER. PERMANENT GALLERIES IN THE SUSAN NAYLOR CENTER INCLUDE THE NAYLOR FAMILY DINOSAUR GALLERY, MCLEAN FAMILY TEXAS WILD GALLERY, AND THE KITTIE WEST NELSON FERGUSON PEOPLE OF THE PECOS GALLERY. THE ROBERT J. AND HELEN C. KLEBERG SOUTH TEXAS HERITAGE CENTER FOCUSES ON THE HISTORY OF THE REGION, WHILE THE H-E-B SCIENCE TREEHOUSE THAT INCLUDES HANDS-ON SCIENCE ACTIVITIES. COLLECTIONS ARE VISIBLE IN THE B. NAYLOR MORTON RESEARCH AND COLLECTIONS CENTER AND WINDOWS-ON-THE-WORLD EXHIBITIONS IN THE MAYS FAMILY CENTER PROVIDE A GLOBAL CONTEXT TO TEXAS. SEVEN LEARNING LABS SERVE AS THE FOUNDATION FOR THE WITTE'S HANDS-ON EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. THE WITTE ALSO OWNS AN OFFSITE COLLECTIONS REPOSITORY OF APPROXIMATELY 33,000 SQUARE FEET, HOUSING 320,000 ARTIFACTS AND SPECIMENS. THE WITTE HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS SINCE 1974 AND IS A SMITHSONIAN AFFILIATE.
  2. $3.2 million spent. THE WITTE MUSEUM HELD 728 PUBLIC PROGRAMS IN THIS PERIOD, INCLUDING DINOSAURS, HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND STEM SUBJECTS. APPROXIMATELY 43,150 PEOPLE ATTENDED STUDENT, FAMILY, AND ADULT PROGRAMS, GALLERY THEATER AND DEMONSTRATIONS, EDUCATOR WORKSHOPS, PROGRAMS, AND LIVE REMOTE LEARNING.
  3. $2.4 million spent. THE WITTE MUSEUM STORE OFFERS A VARIETY OF BOOKS, EDUCATIONAL TOYS AND LIMITED-TIME-ONLY SPECIAL PRODUCTS RELATED TO THE EXHIBITS AND PUBLIC PROGRAMMING. THESE ITEMS PROVIDE TAKE-AWAY EXPERIENCES THAT REINFORCE THE TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCES IN NATURE, SCIENCE AND CULTURE OF THE MUSEUM.

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 November 1932.

    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.

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