National Museum of Funeral History
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
See Schedule OHonoring the compassion and dedication of the funeral services industry has been the Museum's mission since it began in 1992. Today, the Museum continues to enlighten visitors on one of man's oldest cultural rituals and celebrate the heritage of the funeral services industry.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $847,648
- Spent on programs
- 59%
- Reserves
- 61.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 69%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 43
- Highest pay
- $143,367, board member
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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 61.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 34% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 22% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1559% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 16 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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 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 (1)
- $500,066 spent. The purpose of the National Museum of Funeral History (the Museum) is to educate and inform the general public about the funeral service industry and its history. Through the Museum's permanent archives that document and chronicle the evolution of the funeral service profession, and through its collections of artifacts and historical data, exhibits, dioramas, and programs, the Museum serves as an education and information center. Continued on Schedule O Educational tours provide information to persons wishing to study death, dying and the sociology of funeral rituals and funeral customs in the past and present. Tours are held on a regular basis for funeral service professionals, junior high, high school and university students, members of the clergy, and the general public. The Museum also serves as a library for scholarly research in the areas of funeral service, the American funeral ritual, the sociology of death in America, and other funeral-related topics. This information is available through funeral documents, artifacts, exhibits, dioramas, and other presentations. Through research of the artifacts and historical data, patrons are able to develop theories about death and study death and dying from a fundamental perspective.The Museum receives donations of documents and artifacts on a regular basis. These donations are carefully documented, preserved and archived for use in future exhibits or are included in current exhibits and vignettes.As an ongoing resource for clergy, the Museum holds tours for clergy from across the state. During the tours, funeral service professionals speak on such topics as "The Value of the Funeral and "Grief and Recovery from Loss."
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
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.
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.
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.
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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1993.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 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.