Museum of Glass
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
A signature glassmaking venue shaping the future of glass. Our Mission is to ignite creativity, fuel discovery and enrich lives through glass and glassmaking.
- Income
- $6.0 million
- Spending
- $5.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- -0.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 43%
- Employees
- 95
- Volunteers
- 61
- Highest pay
- $208,236, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2527 of 27 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a 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 June 30, 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 (4)
- $1.5 million spent. Curatorial Exhibitions and Research The Curatorial Department stewards and interprets the Museum's permanent collection of glass, including the digital preservation of both the permanent and born-digital collections. The department organizes exhibitions featuring works from the collection as well as from artists, institutions, and private collectors. MOG also develops traveling exhibitions, including Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight (shown at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian), A Two-Way Mirror: Double Consciousness in Contemporary Glass by Black Artists, and Art Deco: Glass from the David Huchthausen Collection. During the fiscal year, the Museum presented four major and several smaller exhibitions in its galleries, advancing its mission to promote glass as an art form and inspire creativity.
- $1.9 million spent. Hot Shop, Education and Outreach - The Hot Shop and Education programs are central to the Museum's activities. A dedicated team of glass artists demonstrates glassmaking daily during the five days the Museum is open to the public (Wednesday through Sunday). During the fiscal year, MOG hosted 31 artist residencies with local, national, and international artists. Visitors learned about the creative process, science, and technology of glass, and more than 1,200 participants created their own works through workshops. The Mobile Hot Shop extended outreach into schools and community centers. MOG's education team served more than 2,500 students, including every 6th grader in Tacoma Public Schools through the Science of Art program. The department also partnered with the University of Puget Sound and the Pierce County Library System to deliver the Big Read program with author Yaa Gyasi, presented in conjunction with the exhibition A Two-Way Mirror: Double Consciousness in Contemporary Glass by Black Artists.
- $276,755 spent. Museum Store - The Museum Store is designed to reflect and enhance the experience of the collection. The Store presents glass art from local, national, and international artists, including both emerging and established makers. During the fiscal year, the Store provided artists with greater public exposure and a means of supporting themselves through the sale of their art.
- $812,623 spent. After Hours Programs - After Hours Programs provide the Museum experience to individuals through special after-hours events, both public and private. These programs offer a different kind of Museum experience, exposing constituencies that may not normally visit to glass art and glassmaking. During the fiscal year, these events successfully engaged new audiences and expanded access to the Museum's exhibitions and Hot Shop demonstrations.Other program expenses include costs related to marketing, security, and admissions.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 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 October 13, 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 June 2025.
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 January 1996.
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 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.