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Association of the Los Altos Historical Museum

EIN 94-2542813 · Los Altos, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood83 out of 100GovernanceGood86 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE LOS ALTOS HISTORY MUSEUM GATHERS AND PRESENTS ARTIFACTS AND STORIES TO BRIDGE THE PAST AND THE PRESENT BY FOSTERING THE CREATIVE ENERGY OF VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF TO PRODUCE ENGAGING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND EXHIBITS THAT CHALLENGE ESTABLISHED NARRATIVES.

Income
$856,138
Spending
$811,205
Spent on programs
54%
Reserves
66.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 56%
Employees
11
Volunteers
192
Highest pay
$67,703, interim exec dir

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

Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 66.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 10% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    54% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 30 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

Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 15 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 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 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 (3)
  1. $125,183 spent. EXHIBITION PRODUCTIONTHE MUSEUM DISPLAYED THREE EXHIBITIONS IN OUR MAIN GALLERY. ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR EXHIBITS WAS ROOTED IN TIME: JOURNEY THROUGH HIDDEN VILLA, WHICH FEATURED THE HISTORY OF THE DUVENECK FAMILY AND HIDDEN VILLA ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY. ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT INCLUDED SHE SANG ME A GOOD LUCK SONG: THE CALIFORNIA INDIAN PHOTOGRAPHS OF DUGAN AGUILAR, A RENTAL EXHIBIT TO WHICH THE MUSEUM ADDED A SPECIAL DISPLAY ABOUT THE MUWEKMA OHLONE TRIBE'S 2024 TRAIL OF TRUTH JOURNEY TO WASHINGTON, D.C. IN PURSUIT OF FEDERAL RECOGNITION.THE MUSEUM ALSO HOSTED SEVERAL EXHIBIT-RELATED PROGRAMS AS PART OF OUR POPULAR THIRD WEDNESDAY SERIES THAT CONNECTED HISTORY TO THE PRESENT, INCLUDING A NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY CELEBRATING THE HISTORY AND RESIDENTS OF MOODY ROAD NEAR HIDDEN VILLA, AS WELL AS A TALK BY CHARLENE NIJMEH, CHAIRWOMAN OF THE MUWEKMA OHLONE TRIBE, ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE ON THE TRAIL OF TRUTH.THE MUSEUM'S EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS BROUGHT HUNDREDS OF VISITORS TO THE MUSEUM AND FOSTERED MEANINGFUL DIALOGUES WITH AND BETWEEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS. RELATED PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES INCLUDED IN-GALLERY SCAVENGER HUNTS AS WELL AS INTERACTIVE ART-MAKING, CONTRIBUTING TO THE DISPLAYS.
  2. $129,831 spent. COLLECTION CARETHE MUSEUM PROCESSED FORTY-SIX DONATIONS OF ITEMS DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR, ADDING ITEMS TO OUR LIBRARY, PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION, ORAL HISTORIES, AND 3-D ARTIFACT COLLECTION. STAFF IS CONTINUING TO DEVELOP OUR INVENTORY, OUR PRIMARY GOAL FOR THE COLLECTION, IN ORDER TO MOVE CLOSER TO ACHIEVING ACCREDITATION BY THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS.WE OFFERED TOURS OF OUR PRINCIPAL HISTORIC RESOURCE, THE J. GILBERT SMITH HOUSE, TO HUNDREDS OF VISITORS. WE WELCOMED EVEN MORE VISITORS TO OUR MULTIMEDIA PERMANENT EXHIBITION IN OUR UPPER GALLERY, NOW IN ITS THIRD YEAR. THERE, THE COMMUNITY CORNER DISPLAY FEATURED OBJECTS FROM THE COLLECTION RELATED TO LOS ALTOS' SISTER CITIES. IN DECEMBER 2024, STAFF CURATED THE DISPLAY TO HIGHLIGHT ITEMS CONNECTED TO THE HISTORY OF LOS ALTOS CLUBS.
  3. $140,660 spent. EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH THE MUSEUM HELD THREE FAMILY-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY EVENTS DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR: THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL, CO-HOSTED WITH THE GREATER LOS ALTOS CHINESE ASSOCIATION ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2024, CELEBRATING THE HARVEST AND CHINESE CULTURE; TRAIN DAYS ON SEPTEMBER 21 AND 22, 2024, WHICH OFFERED TRAIN LOVERS THE EXPERIENCE OF MODEL RAILROADING AND HONORED THE HISTORY OF THE CITY AS A FORMER TRAIN STOP; AND RANCHO DAY ON NOVEMBER 2, 2024, WHICH ENABLED VISITORS TO EXPERIENCE HOW CALIFORNIA RANCHOS OPERATED IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY.AS THEY DO EACH SPRING, DEDICATED MEMBERS OF OUR EDUCATION COMMITTEE LED MORE THAN FIFTEEN 3RD AND 4TH GRADE TOURS TO TEACH LOCAL STUDENTS ABOUT CALIFORNIA AND LOS ALTOS HISTORY. WE ALSO WELCOMED A NEW COHORT OF LOCAL TEENS TO OUR TEEN DOCENT PROGRAM IN SUPPORT OF OUR VISION TO FOSTER INTERGENERATIONAL CONNECTIONS. WE WERE HONORED TO CONTINUE OUR STEWARDSHIP OF THE CITY HERITAGE ORCHARD, A VITAL HISTORICAL LANDMARK. OUR ORCHARD AMBASSADORS FACILITATED THE ANNUAL APRICOT HARVEST IN LATE SPRING SO THAT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY COULD ENJOY THE FRUITS OF THIS RESOURCE.

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

  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 June 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 1996.

    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.

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