Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Experience Learning Community

EIN 91-1626784 · Seattle, WA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair68 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE ARE ON A MISSION TO ACTIVATE THE WORLD-SHAPING POWER OF POP CULTURE THROUGH PARTICIPATIVE EXPERIENCES, DISCOVERY, AND PLAY.

Income
$21.0 million
Spending
$30.0 million
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
9.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 82%
Employees
164
Volunteers
198
Highest pay
$425,500, chief executive officer

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

Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 43% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 30 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

    11 of 11 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 (4)
  1. $13.2 million spent. EXPENDITURES RELATED TO THE CURATION, DEVELOPMENT, FABRICATION, INSTALLATION, PRODUCTION, AND DISPLAY OF EXHIBITIONS AND INSTALLATIONS THAT ADVANCE THE MUSEUM'S MISSION OF CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY. AS OF 2024, MOPOP HAS ORGANIZED 119 EXHIBITS, 24 OF WHICH HAVE TRAVELED TO ARTISTIC CENTERS AND LEARNING INSTITUTIONS BOTH INTERNATIONALLY AND ACROSS THE U.S. AS ONE OF THE NORTHWEST'S FOREMOST CULTURAL EXPORTERS, MOPOP HAS NOW REACHED MORE THAN 12 MILLION PEOPLE IN OVER 10 FOREIGN COUNTRIES - INCLUDING UPWARDS OF 3/4 MILLION PEOPLE ONSITE YEARLY (ON AVERAGE DURING A NON-COVID YEAR). A DIVERSE SCOPE OF SUBJECT MATTER AND THOUGHTFUL EXECUTION BEHIND OUR EXHIBITIONS ENCOURAGES THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO INVESTIGATE THE SERIOUS FUN OF POP CULTURE TO TRY THEIR HAND AT MUSICAL INSTRUMENTATION IN SOUND LAB (AAM MUSE GOLD AWARD-WINNING GALLERY) OR DISCOVER THE ART OF VIDEO GAME DESIGN, SPARKING NEW INTERESTS AND SKILL-DEVELOPMENT AT THE INTERSECTION OF PERFORMING, MEDIA ARTS, AND STEM/DIGITAL LITERACY.
  2. $9.4 million spent. MOPOP OPERATES AN ICONIC, ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT AND CUSTOM-BUILT MUSEUM BUILDING, DESIGNED BY RENOWNED ARCHITECT FRANK O. GEHRY. PROGRAM COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUILDING INCLUDE DEPRECIATION OF $6,819,401 AND $6,897,490 AND OCCUPANCY OF $1,866,985 AND $2,414,979 RESPECTIVELY FOR 2024 AND 2023. WHEREAS SOME MUSEUMS HAVE A SEPARATE LEGAL ENTITY WHICH OWNS THEIR BUILDING AND IS NOT CONSOLIDATED WITH OPERATIONS FOR FORM 990 REPORTING PURPOSES, MOPOP DOES NOT. THEREFORE, MOPOP'S FORM 990 INCLUDES ALL DEPRECIATION EXPENSE OF ITS BUILDING. MOPOP FUNDS THE COST OF BUILDING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OUT OF CASH FLOW FROM MUSEUM OPERATIONS.
  3. $1.6 million spent. EXPENDITURES RELATED TO MOPOP'S SIGNIFICANT COLLECTION OF CONTEMPORARY CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL MUSIC ARCHIVE OF OVER 85,000 ARTIFACTS PLUS OUR ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION, CONSISTING OF MORE THAN 1,100 INTERVIEWS WITH MUSICIANS, FILMMAKERS, PRODUCERS, AUTHORS, AND INNOVATIVE LUMINARIES WHO HAVE SHAPED THE CULTURE OF OUR TIME AND INFLUENCED ITS MODERN LANDSCAPE. IN ADDITION TO A SUBSTANTIAL RECORDED-SOUND AND MOVING-IMAGE INVENTORY, MUSEUM COLLECTION INCLUDES RARE MUSIC INSTRUMENTS AND EQUIPMENT, PHOTOGRAPHS AND FILMS OF LIVE PERFORMANCES, AND OTHER OBJECTS THAT DOCUMENT THE PROCESS OF CREATING, PRODUCING, AND PROMOTING MUSIC - AS WELL AS ARTISTS' PERSONAL EFFECTS, E.G. COSTUMES, ORIGINAL LYRICS, JOURNALS, AND SONG SHEETS.
  4. $1.3 million spent. EXPENDITURES RELATED TO MOPOP'S EDUCATIONAL IN-MUSEUM, VIRTUAL, AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS PROVIDE A VARIETY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND FAMILIES INCLUDING MUSEUM TOURS AND WORKSHOPS, SCHOOL-BASED OUTREACH PROGRAMS, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FORTEACHERS. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AT MOPOP PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH TO EXPLORE THEIR CREATIVE PASSIONS AS MUSICIANS, WRITERS, FILMMAKERS AND ARTISTS, INCLUDING PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES AND SHOWCASES FOR THEIR WORK, VIRTUAL STUDENT CLUBS, YOUTH SUMMER CAMPS, AND INNOVATIVE IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP PROGRAMS. OTHER PARTICIPATORY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES, BACKGROUNDS, AND INTERESTS FOCUSED ON SPARKING CREATIVITY AND CONVERSATION.

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 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 December 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 1994.

    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.