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Museum of Flight Foundation

EIN 91-0785826 · Tukwila, WA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE PRIMARY EXEMPT PURPOSES OF THE MUSEUM OF FLIGHT ARE TO PRESERVE AVIATION AND SPACE HISTORY, AND TO PROVIDE EDUCATION TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT SUBJECTS RELATED TO FLIGHT.

Income
$75.7 million
Spending
$30.0 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
64.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 79%
Employees
314
Volunteers
509
Highest pay
$480,473, president & ceo

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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 64.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 60% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 16% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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

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

    54 of 54 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, 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)
  1. $23.7 million spent. THE MUSEUM OF FLIGHT IN SEATTLE, WA, ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST PRIVATE NONPROFIT AIR AND SPACE MUSEUMS, HOSTED MORE THAN 465,000 VISITORS IN 2024 WHILE BEING OPEN FOR 363 DAYS.THE MUSEUM HAD 205 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES IN 2024, AND 509 ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTRIBUTED 71,846 HOURS THROUGH TOURS, GUEST LECTURES AND GUEST INTERACTIONS. IN STRIVING FOR ITS VISION TO "INSPIRE ALL THROUGH THE LIMITLESS POSSIBILITY OF FLIGHT..." THE MUSEUM SERVED OVER 46,000 STUDENTS WITH A FOCUS ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH (STEM) DISCIPLINES. THE MUSEUM ALSO PROVIDED OVER $343,000 IN FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS. THE MUSEUM IS A SMITHSONIAN AFFILIATE AND IS ALSO ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS. IN 2023, THE MUSEUM UPDATED ITS MISSION TO FOCUS ON AND EMPHASIZE THE AUDIENCES IT IS PROUD TO SERVE: THE MUSEUM OF FLIGHT IS A COMMUNITY WHERE WE UNLEASH THE INNOVATION, PASSION, AND HUMAN STORY OF FLIGHT TO UNLOCK JOY AND THE AMAZING POTENTIAL IN EVERYONE. THE MUSEUM OF FLIGHT EXISTS TO: COLLECT, PRESERVE, AND PARTICIPATE IN THE DYNAMIC AND DIVERSE STORIES OF AEROSPACE CAPTURE THE AWE OF THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF AVIATION AND SPACE FOR ALL TO EXPERIENCE PROVIDE INNOVATIVE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES CREATE A SENSE OF BELONGING AND COMMUNITY AROUND THE SHARED CONNECTION TO FLIGHT. THE MUSEUM DISPLAYS OVER 175 AIR- AND SPACECRAFT, ALONG WITH ARTIFACTS SHOWCASING AEROSPACE HISTORY. IN ADDITION TO THE MANY PERMANENT EXHIBITS COVERING THE BREADTH OF AEROSPACE HISTORY, THE MUSEUM PROVIDES SEVERAL TEMPORARY EXHIBITS EACH YEAR SHOWCASING A WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS. IN ADDITION TO THE AIRCRAFT ON VIEW, THE MUSEUM MAINTAINS THE LARGEST AERONAUTICAL LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON THE WEST COAST. OUR WORLD-CLASS COLLECTION IS MADE POSSIBLE BY WONDERFUL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OUR COMMUNITY AND 2024 WAS NO EXCEPTION. IN 2024, THE MUSEUM ACCESSIONED 951 DONATIONS INTO OUR COLLECTION. THESE INCLUDED 84 NEW OBJECTS, UNIFORMS AND PHOTOGRAPHS AND 867 ADDITIONS TO THE HARL V. BRACKIN MEMORIAL LIBRARY. ADDITIONALLY, THE RESEARCH CENTER RECEIVED AND FULFILLED OVER 951 RESEARCH REQUESTS AND HOSTED 460 VISITORS.THE MUSEUM'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS SUPPORT BOTH STATE AND NATIONAL STANDARDS, WASHINGTON STATE SCIENCE LEARNING STANDARDS AND COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS. THE MUSEUM'S EDUCATOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS ARE CERTIFIED TO PROVIDE CLOCK HOUR CREDITS FOR TEACHERS. THE MUSEUM OFFERED MORE THAN 20 PROGRAMS AND INCLUDE THE AMERICAN CAMP ASSOCIATION ACCREDITED AEROSPACE CAMP EXPERIENCE (ACE) SUMMER CAMP, THE NATIONALLY ACCLAIMED CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTER (CLC), THE MUSEUM-DESIGNED AVIATION LEARNING CENTER (ALC), AND A WIDE RANGE OF DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMS. THE MUSEUM ALSO HOSTS THE WASHINGTON AEROSPACE SCHOLARS (WAS), A COMPETITIVE, COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM WITH NASA IS PRIVATELY FUNDED AND INTENDED TO KEEP THE NATION AT THE FOREFRONT OF TECHNICAL COMPETITIVENESS. ADDITIONALLY, THE MUSEUM'S CAMPUS IS HOME TO RAISBECK AVIATION HIGH SCHOOL, PART OF THE HIGHLINE SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH 400 STUDENTS AND A STEM-BASED CURRICULUM.

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

  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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1965.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.