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Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Cultural Center Inc

EIN 95-4217197 · Los Angeles, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE HAMMER MUSEUM AT UCLA BELIEVES IN THE PROMISE OF ART AND IDEAS TO ILLUMINATE OUR LIVES AND BUILD A MORE JUST WORLD.

Income
$32.8 million
Spending
$41.1 million
Spent on programs
68%
Reserves
23.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 62%
Employees
643
Volunteers
5
Highest pay
$1.0 million, museum director/ceo thru 11/2024

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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 62% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 23.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 25% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 3% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    68% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 26 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 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    20 of 21 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 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 (2)
  1. $20.9 million spent. EXHIBITIONS, PUBLICATIONS & COLLECTIONS: THE MUSEUM PRESENTS CONTEMPORARY AND HISTORICAL ART IN ALL MEDIA IN A ROTATING EXHIBITION PROGRAM THAT TYPICALLY PRESENTS 10-15 EXHIBITIONS AND PUBLISHES 2-6 BOOKS EACH YEAR. IN 2025 THE MUSEUM PRESENTED AN EXHIBITION ABOUT JAZZ ICON ALICE COLTRANE; A RETROSPECTIVE OF THE LATE LOS ANGELES ARTIST NOAH DAVIS; A MULTI-GALLERY INSTALLATION BY ARTIST LAWRENCE LEK; AND THE 7TH EDITION OF ITS ACCLAIMED MADE IN L.A. BIENNIAL. THE MUSEUM ALSO PRESENTED THREE HAMMER PROJECTS BY INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS LAP-SEE LAM, RENATA PETERSEN, AND COLECTIVO CHERANI. THE MUSEUM IS ALSO THE STEWARD OF FIVE COLLECTIONS: THE HAMMER CONTEMPORARY COLLECTION, A GROWING COLLECTION OF INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ART SINCE 1960; THE UCLA GRUNWALD CENTER FOR THE GRAPHIC ARTS COLLECTION, ONE OF AMERICA'S FINEST COLLECTIONS OF WORKS ON PAPER, CONTAINING MORE THAN 45,000 PRINTS, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND ARTISTS' BOOKS FROM THE RENAISSANCE TO THE PRESENT; THE ARMAND HAMMER COLLECTION, AN IMPRESSIVE COLLECTION OF EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS REFLECTING THE INTERESTS AND PASSION OF THE MUSEUM'S FOUNDER, ARMAND HAMMER; THE ARMAND HAMMER DAUMIER AND CONTEMPORARIES COLLECTION, ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST EXTENSIVE COLLECTIONS OF PRINTS, DRAWINGS, PAINTINGS, AND SCULPTURE BY NINETEENTH-CENTURY FRENCH SATIRIST HONORE DAUMIER; AND THE UCLA FRANKLIN D. MURPHY SCULPTURE GARDEN, WHICH INCLUDES OVER 70 OUTDOOR SCULPTURES.
  2. $7.1 million spent. PUBLIC & ACADEMIC PROGRAMS: THE HAMMER'S 300+ PROGRAMS EACH YEAR ARE DESIGNED TO SPARK MEANINGFUL ENCOUNTERS WITH ART AND IDEAS. THEY INCLUDE LECTURES, SYMPOSIA, UNIVERSITY OUTREACH, FILM SERIES, READINGS, FAMILY EVENTS, TOURS, AND MUSICAL PERFORMANCES. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED THE TURIYA RISING CONCERT SERIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH "ALICE COLTRANE, MONUMENT ETERNAL; A POPULAR SERIES OF ART HISTORY LECTURES BY JOHN WALSH; AND POPULAR SERIES LIKE THE MOMA CONTENDERS FILM SERIES AND HAMMER SUMMER CONCERTS. HAMMER MUSEUMS PROGRAM DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE, WWW.HAMMER.UCLA.EDU.

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 November 2017.

    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.

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.