Totals
- Total revenue
- $20,285,821
- Total expenses
- $17,339,795
- Contributions and grants received
- $5,186,538
- Grants paid
- $13,100
- Program service revenue
- $13,276,079
- Investment income
- $840,383
- Other revenue
- $982,821
- Total assets, end of year
- $50,879,862
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $2,820,831
- Net assets or fund balances, end of year
- $48,059,031
- Program services expenses (Part IX)
- $13,053,179
- Management and general expenses
- $2,653,779
- Fundraising expenses
- $1,632,837
- Program service expenses (Part III)
- $13,053,179
Program services were 75.3% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.
Line items
Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.
Revenue
Part VIII, the statement of revenue.
-
1c · Fundraising events
$245,480
-
1e · Government grants (contributions)
$1,044,821
-
1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants
$3,896,237
-
1g · Noncash contributions included above
$1,376,290
-
2a · Program service revenue: Admissions
total $9,904,706 · related or exempt $9,904,706
-
2b · Program service revenue: Memberships
total $1,776,309 · related or exempt $1,776,309
-
2c · Program service revenue: Special events
total $1,289,245 · related or exempt $1,289,245
-
2d · Program service revenue: Guest Programs
total $207,745 · related or exempt $207,745
-
2e · Program service revenue: Program revenues
total $98,074 · related or exempt $98,074
-
3 · Investment income
total $838,535 · excluded $838,535
-
7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory
securities $20,429,367
-
7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses
securities $20,427,519
-
7c · Gain or loss
securities $1,848
-
7d · Net gain or loss
total $1,848 · excluded $1,848
-
8a · Fundraising events: gross income
$106,216
-
8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c
$245,480
-
8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses
$250,931
-
8c · Net income from fundraising events
total -$144,715 · excluded -$144,715
-
11a · Other revenue: Concessions
total $976,419 · excluded $976,419
-
11b · Other revenue: Miscellaneous Revenue
total $151,117 · related or exempt $151,117
-
11e · Other revenue, total
$1,127,536
Functional expenses
Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.
-
1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments
total $13,100 · program services $13,100
-
5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
total $1,324,985 · program services $493,310 · management and general $574,567 · fundraising $257,108
-
7 · Other salaries and wages
total $7,749,284 · program services $6,434,014 · management and general $564,998 · fundraising $750,272
-
8 · Pension plan contributions
total $190,986 · program services $145,800 · management and general $23,984 · fundraising $21,202
-
9 · Other employee benefits
total $1,062,998 · program services $811,496 · management and general $133,493 · fundraising $118,009
-
10 · Payroll taxes
total $642,703 · program services $490,641 · management and general $80,712 · fundraising $71,350
-
11b · Fees: legal
total $525 · management and general $525
-
11c · Fees: accounting
total $24,857 · management and general $24,857
-
11d · Fees: lobbying
total $90,000 · management and general $90,000
-
11f · Fees: investment management
total $40,315 · management and general $40,315
-
11g · Fees: other
total $185,486 · program services $74,377 · management and general $18,007 · fundraising $93,102
-
12 · Advertising and promotion
total $674,396 · program services $639,159 · management and general $2,751 · fundraising $32,486
-
13 · Office expenses
total $198,441 · program services $118,959 · management and general $76,058 · fundraising $3,424
-
14 · Information technology
total $594,383 · program services $172,900 · management and general $376,103 · fundraising $45,380
-
16 · Occupancy
total $1,221,976 · program services $1,207,199 · management and general $14,733 · fundraising $44
-
17 · Travel
total $135,538 · program services $78,794 · management and general $34,866 · fundraising $21,878
-
19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings
total $151,182 · program services $25 · management and general $62,914 · fundraising $88,243
-
20 · Interest
total $297,275 · program services $240,766 · management and general $34,064 · fundraising $22,445
-
22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization
total $1,227,323 · program services $1,165,850 · management and general $55,400 · fundraising $6,073
-
23 · Insurance
total $457,154 · program services $226,642 · management and general $215,860 · fundraising $14,652
-
24a · Other expenses: Animal Care
total $423,220 · program services $396,285 · management and general $26,906 · fundraising $29
-
24b · Other expenses: Programs, Events and Ou
total $278,119 · program services $187,513 · management and general $17,061 · fundraising $73,545
-
24c · Other expenses: Miscellaneous
total $273,276 · program services $143,219 · management and general $117,916 · fundraising $12,141
-
24d · Other expenses: Employee Relations/Safe
total $80,916 · program services $11,822 · management and general $67,640 · fundraising $1,454
-
24e · All other expenses
total $1,357 · program services $1,308 · management and general $49
Balance sheet
Part X, book values.
-
1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing
beginning of year $6,133,643 · end of year $4,128,670
-
2 · Savings and temporary cash investments
beginning of year $12,778,200 · end of year $7,268,132
-
3 · Pledges and grants receivable
beginning of year $3,263,660 · end of year $2,399,536
-
4 · Accounts receivable
beginning of year $155,948 · end of year $124,627
-
8 · Inventories for sale or use
beginning of year $12,879 · end of year $43,902
-
9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges
beginning of year $359,844 · end of year $318,702
-
10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis
$44,627,519
-
10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation
$15,978,130
-
10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net
beginning of year $18,661,154 · end of year $28,649,389
-
11 · Investments: publicly traded securities
beginning of year $7,060,753 · end of year $7,946,904
-
17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses
beginning of year $1,355,841 · end of year $1,162,080
-
19 · Deferred revenue
beginning of year $1,373,019 · end of year $1,208,751
-
20 · Tax-exempt bond liabilities
beginning of year $675,000 · end of year $450,000
-
23 · Secured mortgages and notes payable
beginning of year $57,475 · end of year $0
-
27 · Net assets without donor restrictions
beginning of year $34,456,865 · end of year $43,631,405
-
28 · Net assets with donor restrictions
beginning of year $10,507,881 · end of year $4,427,626
Mission and programs · 2024
Mission
Our mission is to inspire conservation of the natural world by exhibiting and caring for animals, by excelling in education and research, and by providing an exceptional visitor experience.
-
Facilities program services include all costs associated with the maintenance, security, and operation of a 20+ year-old Aquarium facility, exhibits, and animal life support systems. The 93,000 square foot facility offers a state-of-the-art environmental learning center that encompasses the entire spectrum of the southeast Appalachian watershed as found in South Carolina: mountain, piedmont, coastal plain, coast and the ocean. In 2016, the Aquarium completed a major energy performance project to replace current natural gas and electric power infrastructure, which resulted in significant energy and cost savings.The Aquarium's state-of-the-art Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery Center provides guests with an interactive learning experience so they can observe the care and rehabilitation and education related to these threatened and endangered species.
Expenses $3,099,284 · Revenue $9,904,706
-
Guest program services include admissions and environmental services. Providing new and exciting exhibits and installations to enhance the visitor experience, the SCA both educates and entertains. From interactive daily programming with hands on experiences to upgraded technology throughout the Aquarium, we have developed an exciting interpretive journey to guide guests from the mountains to the sea. The Aquarium today is the Charleston region's most visited attraction, with an average annual attendance of 500,000 (including approximately 22,000 students).2024 was a productive year which emphasized our ongoing engagement of our mission and the diverse array of projects that make our institution so unique. We saw record numbers in revenue, including incredible success of our holiday lights experience within our walls, Aquarium Aglow.An expanded partnership with the local tri-county library system brought almost 8,000 additional community members into the Aquarium free of charge in 2024.The Aquarium continues to enjoy "best of class" scores among peer Aquariums in the categories of hospitality and cleanliness. In a 2022 study, it was estimated by the College of Charleston Office of Tourism Analysis that the Aquarium's presence in the community directly and indirectly generates more than $379 million to the local economy ($414 million statewide) each year.
Expenses $3,864,798
-
Animal care (husbandry) program services are designed to continuously collect and maintain animals for the exhibits that are displayed in the Aquarium facilities. Currently the Aquarium cares for approximately 5,000 specimens of animals within 250 species.The professional biologists and aquarists at the South Carolina Aquarium deliver excellent care for every animal, maintaining a population that encompasses the diversity of wildlife in our state. The Aquarium's staff and volunteers demonstrate a passion for, and responsibility to, these animals, providing comfort, nourishment, and enrichment for each species in accordance with accrediting standards established by the association of zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
Expenses $2,623,065
-
Education:Over the years, the education program has served more than one million students with educational programming and enriched the careers of more than five thousand teachers. The SCA serves as a complementary science education institution providing hands-on learning opportunities for students of all ages. Themed interpretive programs are presented daily by the staff, and are informative and fun for all visitors. The Aquarium has developed a standards-based structure school program that allows k-12 students to participate in hands-on activities to reinforce the standards-based concepts introduced in the classroom. Last school year, the Aquarium welcomed approximately 5,600 students through this program and trained 111 SC teachers.In addition, the Aquarium invested in our distance learning program, hosting virtual programs that have reached over 50,000 participants. A robot has allowed young patients in the MUSC and Prisma Children's hospitals to engage with our staff and exhibits from their hospital room. Meanwhile, our rovers outreach program continued to bring science to life for students throughout South Carolina, reaching 15,435 participants in schools, libraries and adult retirement homes across the state who otherwise may not have had the opportunity to visit the Aquarium in person.Throughout the year, our adult learning program engaged more than 520 participants in critical conversations related to conservation and research. Our paid High School Internship program continues to engage budding scientists exploring careers in environmental education and marine science.Conservation:The Aquarium is uniquely positioned to educate and inspire the public to conserve and protect South Carolina's rich and vast biodiversity, and its vulnerable species and their vanishing habitat. As the primary sea turtle hospital in the state of South Carolina, our Sea Turtle Care Center rehabilitates sick and injured sea turtles from across the state, educates the public about conservation of endangered and threatened sea turtles, and has released 441 rehabilitated sea turtles since its inception in 2000. During 2024, the Aquarium admitted 49 sea turtle patients and successfully released 43 sea turtles back into the ocean after they were rehabilitated in the Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery. This was a record-breaking year for the number of local patients admitted, as well as the number of patients released in a single year. The SCA is working to reduce the negative impact of plastics on our environment by collaborating with local partners and organizations to advocate for bans of single-use plastics and by providing the tools and support to empower volunteers across the state to organize, track and report on local litter sweeps and conservation initiatives. The Aquarium's resilience initiative for community engagement (rice) continued its work to inform communities of the risks associated with climate change and sea level rise, and to provide stakeholders with data and tools to plan for a more resilient future.The Aquarium continued its reef research in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. We studied the effects of removing invasive lionfish in artificial reefs located in marine protected areas of the coast. Once again, the Aquarium held its annual JuLionfish Derby and Festival, where divers competed to remove as many invasive lionfish as possible from reefs.The Aquarium's sustainable seafood program, Good Catch, encourages consumers and business to purchase local (harvested between NC and FL), sustainable seafood. The Good Catch Seafood Connection is a collaborative effort that provides free, local and sustainably harvested seafood to food insecure neighbors in the Lowcountry.Membership:Membership includes unlimited admission for nearly 11,000 member households. Members also receive additional benefits including access to exclusive member programs and events like Fish or Treat, early morning toddler programs, yoga for adults, and hands-on offsite experiences like seining and beachcombing. Members receive 20% off Aquarium Aglow tickets, discounted general admission tickets, discounts at local area attractions and businesses, and onsite discounts at the gift shop, snack bar, souvenir photos and VR experience. In 2024, members made up over 25% of Aquarium attendance.
Expenses $3,466,032 · Grants $13,100 · Revenue $3,522,490
As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.
Listed in Part VII
-
Jonathan M Zucker
Chairman
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 4
-
Jessica Brewer
Vice Chairman
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 4
-
John A Hill
Vice Chairman
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 4
-
J Donald Higgins
Treasurer/Dir. Emer.
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 4
-
Tom Wright
Vice Treasurer
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 4
-
Mason Holland
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Dan Battista
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Rongrong Chen PHD
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Robert C Crawford III
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Suzanne Dickerson
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Steve Durkee
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
W Andrew Gowder Jr Term Ended
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Lee Hurzeler Term Ended
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Sandy Khan
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Danny Kassis
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Palmer E Krantz III
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Harry Lesesne
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Stacie Marksbury
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Judge Daniel E Martin Jr
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Gary McLaurin
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Guy Maurice Meares III
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Dominique Milton
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
William M Patterson PhD
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Cara J Richard
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Jan Roosenburg
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Scott Snider
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
George P Watt Jr
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Pam Wilson
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
David Wood
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Marcus Jones
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Melvin Brown
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
John Danahy
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Larry Colshan
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Anne W Cleveland
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Pedro De Armos
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Steve Gray
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Lars Munson
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Michael Naioti
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Joel Neale
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Susan Rohr
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Debra White
Director
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Valerie Howell
Secretary
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 4
-
Kevin Mills
President and CEO
- Total calculated
- $389,749
- From this org
- $368,410
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $21,339
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $368,410
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $0 + $10,362 related
- Nontaxable benefits
- $0 + $10,977 related
- Filer's total
- $368,410 + $21,339 related
-
John L Higgins
Executive Vice Pres & COO
- Total calculated
- $226,597
- From this org
- $217,089
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $9,508
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $217,089
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $0 + $7,187 related
- Nontaxable benefits
- $0 + $2,321 related
- Filer's total
- $217,089 + $9,508 related
-
Jason Oddo
Chief Financial Officer
- Total calculated
- $198,296
- From this org
- $195,832
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $2,464
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $195,832
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $0
- Nontaxable benefits
- $0 + $2,464 related
- Filer's total
- $195,832 + $2,464 related
-
Kevin Kampwerth
VP Creative & Exhibits
- Total calculated
- $181,082
- From this org
- $161,022
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $20,060
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $161,022
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $0 + $6,065 related
- Nontaxable benefits
- $0 + $13,995 related
- Filer's total
- $161,022 + $20,060 related
-
Courtenay B Lewandowski
Chief Advancement Officer
- Total calculated
- $247,219
- From this org
- $229,282
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $17,937
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $229,282
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $0 + $6,962 related
- Nontaxable benefits
- $0 + $10,975 related
- Filer's total
- $229,282 + $17,937 related
-
Brian Brasher
Chief Infrastructure Officer
- Total calculated
- $177,513
- From this org
- $153,349
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $24,164
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $153,349
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $0 + $11,248 related
- Nontaxable benefits
- $0 + $12,916 related
- Filer's total
- $153,349 + $24,164 related
-
Paul Nunez
Chief People Officer
- Total calculated
- $152,129
- From this org
- $136,815
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $15,314
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $136,815
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $0 + $4,723 related
- Nontaxable benefits
- $0 + $10,591 related
- Filer's total
- $136,815 + $15,314 related
-
Amie Yam-Babinchak
Chief Marketing Officer
- Total calculated
- $143,466
- From this org
- $117,207
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $26,259
- Hours/week
- 40
-
Sara McDonald PHD
VP Conservation
- Total calculated
- $154,564
- From this org
- $143,889
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $10,675
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $143,889
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $0 + $4,518 related
- Nontaxable benefits
- $0 + $6,157 related
- Filer's total
- $143,889 + $10,675 related
-
Brian Thill
Chief Experience Officer
- Total calculated
- $131,717
- From this org
- $105,499
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $26,218
- Hours/week
- 40
-
Jamie Torres DVM
Veterinary Care
- Total calculated
- $122,836
- From this org
- $112,214
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $10,622
- Hours/week
- 40
Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.
Schedule J
Answered yes
- 3 · Compensation committee
- 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
- 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee
Answered no
- 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
- 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
- 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
- 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
- 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
- 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
- 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
- 7 · Other non-fixed payments
- 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception
Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.
Grants on this return
-
$7,200
General Support
Provenance
- Return type
- form_990
- Tax year
- 2024
- Filed
- 11 August 2025
- IRS schema version
- 2024v5.2
- Source object
- 202502259349301240
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