Museum of Automotive Icons Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO UTILIZE VEHICLES AS A GATEWAY TO EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON HISTORY, CULTURE, DESIGN, INNOVATION, ENGINEERING, AND ART. THE MUSEUM IS ABLE TO TELL THE STORY FROM THE EARLIEST SELF-PROPELLED TRANSPORTATION THROUGH THE MOST MODERN AND FOCUS ON THE TOTAL HISTORY AND NOT JUST THE STATISTICS.
- Income
- $973,392
- Spending
- $835,021
- Spent on programs
- 56%
- Reserves
- Over 10 years of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 14
- Volunteers
- 30
- Highest pay
- $93,683, operations manager/curator
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
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 58% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1556% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 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 (1)
- $465,619 spent. EDUCATION: THE MUSEUM UTILIZES THEIR "TREAD TALKS" AS A TOOL TO MAKE VEHICLES ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE. THIS PROCESS ALLOWS THE MUSEUM TO TELL THE STORIES OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY AND TO ADDRESS SOCIETAL ISSUES SUCH AS AUTISM AND OTHER CHALLENGES.EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH: THE MUSEUM HAS PARTNERED WITH THE MANHATTAN AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AS PART OF THE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR PROGRAM BY TEACHING ON THE HISTORY OF THE AUTOMOBILE THROUGH THE COLLECTION. THE MUSEUM HAS ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED THEIR OUTREACH AND GROUP TOURS FOCUSING ON THE HISTORY AND STORIES THAT BRING THE COLLECTION TO LIFE AND SHARE THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COLLECTION AND THE WAY TRANSPORTATION HAS SHAPED THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD. EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT: EDUCATION IS AT THE HEART OF THE MIDWEST DREAM CAR COLLECTION. EACH MONTH, OUR TREAD TALKS BRING AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY AND INNOVATION TO LIFE THROUGH ENGAGING PRESENTATIONS. WE PARTNER WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL GROUPS TO HOST FIELD TRIPS AND HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES TAILORED FOR ALL AGES. OUR NEWLY DESIGNED AUDIO TOURS, CREATED FOR BOTH ADULTS AND CHILDREN, OFFER DEEPER INSIGHT INTO THE STORIES BEHIND THE CARS. THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS, PROGRAMS, AND INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES, WE ARE PROUD TO MAKE EDUCATION A CORNERSTONE OF OUR MISSION.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 2019.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.