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San Antonio Childrens Museum

EIN 74-2659746 · San Antonio, TX

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair68 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THROUGH JOYFUL LEARNING AND DISCOVERY, THE DOSEUM EXPERIENCE GROWS CURIOUS MINDS, CONNECTS FAMILIES, AND TRANSFORMS COMMUNITIES.

Income
$8.9 million
Spending
$10.6 million
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
10.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 54%
Employees
125
Volunteers
427
Highest pay
$267,489, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 10% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 18% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 25

    18 of 19 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

    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, 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)
  1. $9.0 million spent. THE DOSEUM GROWS CURIOUS MINDS, CONNECTS FAMILIES AND TRANSFORMS COMMUNITIES WITH INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS, PROGRAMMING AND SPECIAL EVENTS THAT INVITE DISCOVERY, SPARK INTEREST AND DEVELOP POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD LEARNING ACROSS CRITICAL CONTENT AREAS. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATION. PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS RECEIVE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO EXTEND LEARNING BEYOND THE DOSEUM, POWERFULLY IMPACTING THEIR ROLE AS THEIR CHILD'S FIRST TEACHER. WE ARE ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S TOP CHILDREN'S MUSEUMS, EQUIPPED WITH ENGAGING STEM-BASED EXHIBITS THAT INSPIRE ACTIVE LEARNING AND INQUIRY-BASED PLAY. WE DELIVER OUR PROGRAMMING THROUGH THREE PRIMARY VEHICLES: OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROGRAMS, OUTREACH, AND EDUCATOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROGRAMS INCLUDE FIELD EXPERIENCES AND CAMPS. FIELD EXPERIENCES ENRICH CLASSROOM LEARNING BY PROVIDING AN OUTSIDE SOURCE FOR JOYFUL, KINESTHETIC LEARNING AND DISCOVERY. MUSEUM EDUCATORS WORK TO ALIGN THESE VISITS WITH CONCURRENT CLASSROOM SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH (STEM) CONTENT BY TYING FIELD EXPERIENCE PROGRAMMING DIRECTLY TO THE TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS (TEKS). CAMPS TEACH AND REINFORCE STEM CONTENT IN ORDER TO COMBAT THE LEARNING LOSS THAT OCCURS DURING SCHOOL BREAKS. IN 2025, 16,583 STUDENTS WERE SERVED THROUGH OUR OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROGRAMS. OUTREACH INCLUDES OUR STRENGTHENING SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES AND STEM AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS. PROVEN TO STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS AMONG TEACHERS, CAREGIVERS AND STUDENTS, STRENGTHENING SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES IS A SERIES OF EDUCATOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY LEARNING ENGAGEMENTS AT BOTH THE DOSEUM AND THE SCHOOL. STEM AFTERSCHOOL SESSIONS RUN FOR 10 WEEKS PER SEMESTER AT EACH OF OUR TITLE I PARTNER SCHOOLS. DURING THESE TIMES, STUDENTS ENGAGE IN HANDS-ON STEM ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE INQUIRY AND DESIGN THINKING. IN 2025, 20,899 INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVED THROUGH OUR OUTREACH PROGRAMS. EDUCATOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INCLUDES OUR STEM TEACHER COHORT AND ENGINEERING IS ELEMENTARY (EIE) DISTRICT EXPANSION PROGRAMS. NOW IN ITS THIRD CYCLE, THE STEM TEACHER COHORT STRENGTHENS TEACHERS' KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL SETS IN DELIVERING A NATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED CURRICULUM- ENGINEERING IS ELEMENTARY, DEVELOPED BY THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, BOSTON- WHILE BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE TO SUPPORT CONTINUED GROWTH AND FUEL STUDENT LEARNING. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES MONTHLY EDUCATOR WORKSHOPS, A TWO-WEEK SUMMER PRACTICUM AT THE DOSEUM, MULTIPLE CLASSROOM VISITS FROM DOSEUM STAFF TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTION AND ALL NECESSARY SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS. OUR EIE DISTRICT EXPANSION PROGRAM PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EDUCATORS IN SELECTED TITLE I SCHOOLS. TEACHERS RECEIVE TRAINING ON AN EIE UNIT AND ALL CLASSES IN THE TEACHER'S GRADE VISIT THE DOSEUM FOR CULMINATING UNDERWRITTEN FIELD EXPERIENCES. IN 2025, 1,382 TEACHERS PARTICIPATED IN OUR EDUCATOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. BY PROVIDING MORE THAN 2,500 HOURS OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING ANNUALLY, THE DOSEUM HELPS DEVELOP THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS CHILDREN NEED TO BECOME CRITICAL THINKERS AND CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVERS. WE ARE MORE THAN JUST A BUILDING, MORE THAN A MUSEUM. WE ARE A FOUNDATION FOR A LIFELONG LOVE OF LEARNING. IT BEGINS WITHIN OUR WALLS AND EXTENDS FAR BEYOND THEM.
  2. THE DOSEUM FURTHERS ITS MISSION OF GROWING CURIOUS MINDS, CONNECTING FAMILIES AND TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO CHILDREN AND CAREGIVERS, OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO DISADVANTAGED YOUTH, POP-UP PROGRAMING, AND CAMPS. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATION.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since May 1993.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 2026.

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