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Aspen Art Museum

EIN 84-0746671 · Aspen, CO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak28 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ASPEN ART MUSEUM IS A NON-COLLECTING INSTITUTION COMMITTED TO ADVANCING CONTEMPORARY ART AND DRIVING CULTURAL CHANGE THROUGH EXHIBITIONS, CRITICAL DIALOGUES, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. INSPIRED BY ITS ALPINE SURROUNDINGS AND ASPEN'S HISTORY OF EXPERIMENTATION AND EXCHANGE, THE MUSEUM EMBRACES CREATIVE POSSIBILITIES THAT EMERGE WHEN ARTISTS ARE INVITED TO LEAVE THEIR IMPRINT ON THE MUSEUM.

Income
$3.6 million
Spending
$6.9 million
Spent on programs
65%
Reserves
-1.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
75
Volunteers
35
Highest pay
$773,866, chief executive officer

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

Financial health

Weak: 28 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

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

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 94% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 79% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    65% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 35 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, 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 25

    25 of 25 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

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 March 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 (3)
  1. $2.4 million spent. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE ASPEN ART MUSEUM (AAM) IS TO BE A COMMUNITY RESOURCE FOR THE APPRECIATION, EDUCATION, AND DISCUSSION OF CONTEMPORARY ART. AAM EXHIBITIONS CAN BE SUMMARIZED AS FALLING INTO THREE GENERAL CATEGORIES: FIRST-TIME U.S. MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS BY SIGNIFICANT EMERGING CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE; SOLO EXHIBITIONS BY IMPORTANT OR ESTABLISHED CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS THAT FOCUS ON NEW, UNRECOGNIZED, OR UNDERAPPRECIATED ASPECTS OF THEIR WORK; GROUP EXHIBITIONS CURATED TO ADDRESS PRESCIENT OR TOPICAL CONTEMPORARY CULTURAL, SOCIAL, OR POLITICAL SUBJECT MATTER, OR OTHERWISE CORRESPONDING TO AN ORGANIZING CURATORIAL THEME. THE AAM IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING EXHIBITION AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING ON A YEAR-ROUND BASIS FOR VISITORS TO THE ROARING FORK VALLEY AND SURROUNDING COLORADO COMMUNITIES.
  2. $562,529 spent. THE AAM STRIVES TO MAKE CONTEMPORARY ART MEANINGFUL TO A WIDE ARRAY OF AUDIENCES THROUGH INTERPRETIVE PROJECTS AND DIVERSE, COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMMING. THESE OBJECT-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES ARE DESIGNED TO ENGAGE AUDIENCES IN THOUGHT-PROVOKING EXPERIENCES OF ART, CULTURE, AND SOCIETY, THUS REFLECTING OUR INSTITUTIONAL MISSION. PROGRAMS OCCUR BOTH IN THE MUSEUM AND THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, AND PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR AUDIENCES TO SEE AND RESPOND TO CONTEMPORARY ART THROUGH HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS, GALLERY TALKS, AND TOURS, LECTURES, AND INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES RELATED TO CURRENT EXHIBITIONS. IN THE 2024-2025 FISCAL PERIOD, THE AAM SERVED STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THROUGH SCHOOL TOURS AND CLASSROOM VISITS, YOUTH, FAMILY, AND TEEN PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, AND TOURS.
  3. $1.5 million spent. AUXILIARY SERVICES RELATE TO THE MUSEUM SHOP. THE MUSEUM SHOP OFFERS A VARIETY OF CONTEMPORARY ART BOOKS, FOCUSING ON CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS, GROUP EXHIBITIONS AT OTHER RENOWNED INSTITUTIONS, AND ART HISTORY PUBLICATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE SHOP OFFERS CHILDREN'S BOOKS, CREATIVE ACTIVITIES, AND THOUGHTFULLY CURATED GIFT ITEMS RELATED TO CURRENT EXHIBITIONS, WHICH ENGAGE AUDIENCES IN THOUGHT PROVOKING EXPERIENCES OF ART, CULTURE, AND SOCIETY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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 March 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 April 1978.

    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.

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.