Historial Society of Long Beach
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF LONG BEACH (HSLB) COLLECTS, PRESERVES, AND PRESENTS LOCAL HISTORY. THROUGH HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS, EXHIBITS, AND PROGRAMS WE CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE PAST AND TO THE PLACE THEY LIVE. WE HELP CREATE GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, THE CITY AND ITS PLACE IN THE LARGER WORLD. WE OPERATE A MUSEUM, ARCHIVE, AND RESEARCH CENTER.
- Income
- $782,882
- Spending
- $511,900
- Spent on programs
- 70%
- Reserves
- 23.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 81%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 95
- Highest pay
- $96,717, executive director/ceo
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
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 23.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 35% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 59% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1570% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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: 76 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (3)
- $233,012 spent. HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS HSLB ACTIVELY ACQUIRES HISTORICAL MATERIALS FOR PRESERVATION, AND ACCESS. THE COLLECTIONS ARE USED THROUGH OUR RESEARCH CENTER, IN EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS. OVER ONE MILLION HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS, ARTIFACTS, PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES, BOOKS, EPHEMERA, AND OTHER ITEMS ARE COLLECTED CATALOGED AND PRESERVED FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC. MAJOR COLLECTIONS INCLUDE DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES, OFFICE HOLDER FILES, THE LONG BEACH LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER, NEWSPAPERS, CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY, THE CITY MANAGER FILES, RDA, NORTH LONG BEACH, AND OTHERS. OUR HISTORICAL RESEARCH CENTER IS OPEN TUESDAY-SATURDAY. WE MAKE COLLECTIONS AVAILABLE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ACADEMIC RESEARCHERS, PROFESSIONALS, STUDENTS, AND OTHER VISITORS. THERE IS A RESEARCH FEE FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT YET MEMBERS. AMONG OTHER THINGS, COLLECTIONS WERE USED TO DEVELOP THE STATE-WIDE CAMBODIAN AMERICAN HISTORY CURRICULUM FOR CALIFORNIA K-12 SCHOOLS. MEMBERS HAVE FREE ACCESS TO RESEARCH AND VIEWING COLLECTION ITEMS.
- $60,897 spent. HISTORICAL CEMETERY TOUR - THIS UNIQUE ANNUAL EVENT BRINGS HISTORY TO LIFE THROUGH ACTORS WHO PERFORM THE STORIES OF THOSE BURIED IN LOCAL CEMETERIES. HISTORIC EVENTS AND STORIES FROM LONG BEACH'S DIVERSE PAST ARE TOLD BY PEOPLE IN FIRST PERSON. THE EVENT TYPICALLY FEATURES ENGAGING STORIES OF JAPANESE AMERICANS, MEXICAN AMERICANS, AFRICAN AMERICANS, AND OTHER RESIDENTS.
- $64,486 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS: PRESENTS DISCUSSIONS ON LOCAL HISTORY, PUBLISHES BOOKS ON LOCAL TOPICS, SELLS REPRODUCTIONS OF HISTORICAL IMAGES, HOLDS BOOK SIGNING, HOSTS GUEST SPEAKERS, WORKS WITH LOCAL YOUTHS, CONTRACTS TO PROVIDE HISTORICAL SERVICES, AND MORE.
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 November 6, 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 March 1965.
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 November 4, 2026.
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