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Amon Carter Museum of Western Art

EIN 75-1077979 · Fort Worth, TX

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair64 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE AMON CARTER MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART WAS ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF AMON G. CARTER SR. (1879-1955) TO HOUSE HIS COLLECTION OF MORE THAN 400 PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES BY FREDRIC REMINGTION AND CHARLES M. RUSSELL, TO COLLECT, (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O...)PRESERVE AND EXHIBIT THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF AMERICAN ART, AND TO SERVE AN EDUCATIONAL ROLE THROUGH EXHIBITIONS, PUBLICATION, AND PROGRAMS DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF AMERICAN ART.

Income
$19.7 million
Spending
$20.8 million
Spent on programs
71%
Reserves
4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 83%
Employees
171
Volunteers
56
Highest pay
$461,470, executive director (thru 8/25)

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 16% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 25

    13 of 16 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 September 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 (3)
  1. $10.1 million spent. COLLECTIONS AND SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS:SINCE OPENING IN 1961, THE MUSEUM HAS EXPANDED AND DIVERSIFIED ITS HOLDINGS FROM AMON G. CARTER'S PERSONAL COLLECTION OF WESTERN ART TO A COLLECTION OF OVER 7,500 DRAWINGS, PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES, PRINTS, AND WATERCOLORS; MORE THAN 45,000 EXHIBITION QUALITY PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS; AND OVER 200,000 SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS AND OBJECTS. THE CARTER IS NOW ONE OF THE WORLD'S PREEMINENT MUSEUMS DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE STUDY OF AMERICAN ART WITH PREMIERE MASTERWORKS BY GREAT AMERICAN ARTISTS FROM THE 19TH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT DAY. THE MUSEUM IS COMMITTED TO ENGAGING AUDIENCES THROUGH COLLECTING, PRESERVING, AND DISPLAYING THIS COLLECTION AND THROUGH AN AMBITIOUS SERIES OF TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS. SPANNING A WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS, (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O...)MEDIA, AND TIME PERIODS, THESE EXHIBITIONS, DRAWN FROM THE COLLECTION AS WELL AS LOANS AND PRESENTED IN VARIOUS SPACES BOTH IN THE MUSEUM AND ON ITS GROUNDS, AMPLIFY THE CARTER'S ABILITY TO EXAMINE THE BREADTH OF AMERICAN CREATIVITY.
  2. $2.4 million spent. PUBLIC RELATIONS:THE MUSEUM STRIVES TO CREATE APPROACHABLE, THOUGHT-PROVOKING COMMUNICATIONS THAT DEMONSTRATE THE INCLUSIVITY AND DYNAMISM OF THE MUSEUM. THE CARTER'S LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL STRATEGIC PROMOTIONS INCLUDE PRESS RELEASES, TARGETED MEDIA ENGAGEMENT, EMAIL CAMPAIGNS, PAID ADVERTISING, AND ORGANIC AND PAID SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS. THE MUSEUM INVESTS IN PUBLICATIONS WITH AN EMPHASIS ON SERVING DIVERSE AUDIENCES AS A CORE PILLAR OF THE COMPREHENSIVE ADVERTISING/MEDIA PLAN. THE MEDIA PLAN EMPHASIZES CONSISTENT COVERAGE WITH MULTIPLE POINTS OF PLACEMENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR BUILDING RECOGNITION FOR THE CARTER WHILE INVESTING IN DIVERSE LED BUSINESS. THE CARTER'S WEBSITE WAS REBUILT IN 2019 WITH THE EMPHASIS OF A USER (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O...)FIRST MODEL WHICH INCLUDED CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE WEB CONTENT ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES (WCAG). THE MUSEUM'S WEBSITE POLICY INCLUDES WCAG CONSIDERATION INTO ALL ASPECTS OF WORK. WITH A COLLECTION AND EXHIBITIONS, BOTH ONSITE AND ONLINE, THAT SPAN THE BREADTH OF AMERICAN ART FROM THE NINETEENTH CENTURY THROUGH THE PRESENT, THE MUSEUM CAN RESONATE WITH PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS.
  3. $2.2 million spent. EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH:THE CARTER MUSEUM WELCOMES VISITORS OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES AND IS COMMITTED TO HELPING VISITORS ENJOY ITS EXHIBITIONS AND COLLECTION OF AMERICAN ART THROUGH ACCESSIBLE FACILITIES, EVENTS, AND INCLUSIVE EXPERIENCES. PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY EXTEND BEYOND TRADITIONAL MUSEUM ACTIVITIES AND OCCUR OUTSIDE OF THE MUSEUM TO CREATE MEANINGFUL, CREATIVE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AND THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION. EDUCATION IS CENTRAL TO THE MUSEUM'S MISSION AND SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. REGULAR PROGRAM OFFERINGS AT THE CARTER AND IN THE COMMUNITY INCLUDE: - MONTHLY FAMILY PROGRAMS SERVING AGES 0-12. - SPECIAL FAMILY AND COMMUNITY EVENTS (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O...)DURING SPRING BREAK, SUMMER, AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.- BILINGUAL, PREK-12 GUIDED STUDENT TOURS LED BY PROFESSIONAL GALLERY TEACHERS THAT SERVE NEARLY 20,000 STUDENTS ANNUALLY.- EDUCATOR TRAINING WORKSHOPS, DISTANCE LEARNING BROADCASTS, AND CARTER IN THE CLASSROOM EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES.- LECTURES, SPECIAL TOURS, MUSICAL AND CULTURAL PERFORMANCES, ARTMAKING WORKSHOPS, AND OTHER SOCIAL AND CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES INSPIRED BY THE COLLECTION AND EXHIBITIONS.- ACCESSIBLE PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS; PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE; INDIVIDUALS WITH COGNITIVE AND/OR PHYSICAL DISABILITIES; AND PEOPLE WITH LOW OR NO VISION.-COMMUNITY-BASED ART EDUCATION PROGRAMS OFFERED IN COMMUNITY CENTERS AND WITH YOUTH-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 October 13, 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 September 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 September 1963.

    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 October 21, 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.