Lake Minnetonka Historical Society
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Lake Minnetonka Historical Society tells the story of Lake Minnetonka by collecting, preserving and sharing its history.
- Income
- $119,066
- Spending
- $195,573
- Reserves
- 28.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 59%
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 79 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 28.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 64% of income.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.
Source: Form 990EZ 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 (4)
- $165,140 spent. Program: MUSEUM/DISPLAYS LMHS operates museums in Lake Minnetonka's three population centers: Excelsior, Mound, and Wayzata. Staffed by volunteers docents, Excelsior and Wayzata museums are seasonal museums open in the summer; Mound is open year-round. These museums enable the public to interact directly with the history of Lake Minnetonka through accessing each museum's exhibits and displays. In addition to its museums, LHMS operates a Garden Railroad at the Wayzata museum and is currently working to return the Streetcar Boat MINNEHAHA(listed in the National Register of Historic Places) to active operation on the lake. Through these experiential activities, young and old can learn and experience life as it was in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Attendance at the museums varies by location and weather but ranges between 50-200 per weekend. MINNEHAHA ridership, when operational, averages 10,000 per season.
- $6,839 spent. PROGRAM: PUBLIC.PROGRAMS Each.month, LMHS conducts presentations on topics related to different aspects of Lake Minnetonka's history. Open to the public, these programs provide a deeper dive into specific topics beyond what each museum's interpretive displays allow. Presentations rotate across the three population centers and are customized to each location to reflect each community's identity/history.. Presentations are provided free to the public, except during the summer months when they are conducted aboard a chartered excursion vessel. Demand for seating typically exceeds available room capacity,requiring encore dates to accommodate the demand. Aside from the.monthly presentations, LMHS conducts.a number of walking tours, cemetery tours, guided guides of the museums, and provides.speakers for community engagements.
- $1,649 spent. PROGRAM: .COLLECTIONS LMHS has.one of the largest archival and digital collection of Lake Minnetonka history. Prior to the October 2023 consolidation, each partner museum operated its own Archive. Upon the formation of LMHS, the archives of all the museums were consolidated into a central location- providing the public with a single location to research lake history, etc. Open year-round, Archive volunteers accession new artifacts into the collection, assist in research projects, etc.
- $1,141 spent. Program: Merchandise LMHS offers a variety of merchandise for sale to the public. Merchandise items are available for purchase at each of LMHS' museums as well as online via the LMHS website. All merchandise for sale is directly related to our collection and mission of sharing the history of Lake Minnetonka - such as maps, puzzles, books, etc. Drawing on our collection, LMHS also publishes books on facets of Lake Minnetonka history, reprints of Lake Minnetonka maps/photos, as well as produces custom items featuring images of from the collection.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending March 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 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 March 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 August 2023.
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.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: Minnesota Historical Society (Saint Paul, MN), EIN 41-0713907. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.