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Nonprofiteer
← THE EXPLORATORIUM

Form 990 for tax year 2022

Filed by THE EXPLORATORIUM.

Totals

Total revenue
$61,024,177
Total expenses
$64,760,247
Contributions and grants received
$24,434,650
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$30,146,997
Investment income
$4,079,711
Other revenue
$2,362,819
Total assets, end of year
$284,732,614
Total liabilities, end of year
$48,867,190
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$235,865,424
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$52,167,392
Management and general expenses
$9,524,570
Fundraising expenses
$3,068,285
Program service expenses (Part III)
$52,167,392

Program services were 80.6% 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

    $884,779

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $5,358,839

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $18,191,032

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $886,016

  • 2a · Program service revenue: GLOBAL COLLABORATIONS

    total $15,143,177 · related or exempt $15,143,177

  • 2b · Program service revenue: ADMISSIONS & MEMBERSHIPS

    total $9,660,812 · related or exempt $9,660,812

  • 2c · Program service revenue: WORKSHOPS & EDUCATION

    total $3,339,639 · related or exempt $3,339,639

  • 2d · Program service revenue: CONSULTING

    total $917,440 · related or exempt $917,440

  • 2e · Program service revenue: SPONSORSHIPS

    total $113,205 · excluded $113,205

  • 2f · All other program service revenue

    total $972,724 · related or exempt $972,724

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $1,753,421 · unrelated business -$130,919 · excluded $1,884,340

  • 5 · Royalties

    total $57 · excluded $57

  • 6a · Gross rents

    real property $3,452,507

  • 6b · Less rental expenses

    real property $1,457,916

  • 6c · Rental income or loss

    real property $1,994,591

  • 6d · Net rental income or loss

    total $1,994,591 · excluded $1,994,591

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $47,022,117

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $44,695,827

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $2,326,290

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $2,326,290 · excluded $2,326,290

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $181,734

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $884,779

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $639,416

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total -$457,682 · excluded -$457,682

  • 10a · Gross sales of inventory

    $1,576,184

  • 10b · Cost of goods sold

    $750,331

  • 10c · Net income from sales of inventory

    total $825,853 · related or exempt $825,853

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $1,667,114 · program services $302,784 · management and general $1,117,887 · fundraising $246,443

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $28,976,733 · program services $25,134,283 · management and general $2,301,377 · fundraising $1,541,073

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $4,769,983 · program services $3,902,968 · management and general $569,357 · fundraising $297,658

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $2,330,197 · program services $2,023,921 · management and general $189,766 · fundraising $116,510

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $12,073,470 · program services $7,895,776 · management and general $3,481,122 · fundraising $696,572

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $1,768,902 · program services $1,714,633 · management and general $187 · fundraising $54,082

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $691,437 · program services $618,956 · management and general $20,591 · fundraising $51,890

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $2,918,618 · program services $2,244,224 · management and general $656,629 · fundraising $17,765

  • 17 · Travel

    total $1,020,380 · program services $994,003 · management and general $20,078 · fundraising $6,299

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $158,962 · program services $124,964 · management and general $27,164 · fundraising $6,834

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $5,480,420 · program services $5,181,077 · management and general $273,534 · fundraising $25,809

  • 24a · Other expenses: PRODUCTION SUPPLIES

    total $3,724,806 · program services $2,860,135 · management and general $857,321 · fundraising $7,350

  • 24b · Other expenses: STIPENDS

    total $627,584 · program services $627,584 · fundraising $0

  • 24c · Other expenses: GIFT IN KIND

    total $9,557 · management and general $9,557

  • 24d · Other expenses: RENTAL EXP LN 6B

    total -$1,457,916 · program services -$1,457,916

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $8,150,478 · end of year $8,481,183

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $289,338 · end of year $4,366,967

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $10,532,510 · end of year $7,268,699

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $1,306,027 · end of year $750,856

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $1,142,756 · end of year $1,166,538

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $1,538,859 · end of year $1,799,438

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $230,737,293

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $68,413,253

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $166,143,649 · end of year $162,324,040

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $56,090,026 · end of year $52,428,929

  • 12 · Investments: other securities

    beginning of year $29,848,459 · end of year $32,493,793

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $13,652,171

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $7,153,149 · end of year $7,020,352

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $7,594,606 · end of year $5,767,944

  • 20 · Tax-exempt bond liabilities

    beginning of year $21,889,992 · end of year $21,149,096

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $743,086 · end of year $14,929,798

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $142,415,524 · end of year $141,859,290

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $95,245,745 · end of year $94,006,134

Mission and programs · 2022

Mission

THE EXPLORATORIUM IS A PUBLIC LEARNING LABORATORY EXPLORING THE WORLD THROUGH SCIENCE, ART, AND HUMAN PERCEPTION. OUR MISSION IS TO CREATE INQUIRY-BASED EXPERIENCES THAT TRANSFORM LEARNING WORLDWIDE.

Activities or mission (Part I)

THE EXPLORATORIUM IS A PUBLIC LEARNING LABORATORY EXPLORING THE WORLD THROUGH SCIENCE, ART, AND HUMAN PERCEPTION.OUR MISSION IS TO CREATE INQUIRY-BASED EXPERIENCES THAT TRANSFORM LEARNING WORLDWIDE.OUR VISION IS A WORLD WHERE PEOPLE THINK FOR THEMSELVES AND CAN CONFIDENTLY ASK QUESTIONS, QUESTION ANSWERS, AND UNDERSTAND THE WORLD AROUND THEM.WE VALUE LIFELONG LEARNING AND TEACHING, CURIOSITY AND INQUIRY, OUR COMMUNITY, ITERATION AND EVIDENCE, INTEGRITY AND AUTHENTICITY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND INCLUSION AND RESPECT.

  • MUSEUM AND VISITOR EXPERIENCE:WE'RE AN R&D LABORATORY THAT EXPERIMENTS WITH CUTTING-EDGE IDEAS. WE CREATE, EXPERIMENT, TEST, AND BUILD NEARLY EVERYTHING AT THE EXPLORATORIUM OURSELVES, ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE MOST INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT IDEAS TO PURSUE, OFTEN PUSHING THE LIMITS OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE. IN THIS SENSE, WE'RE A CLASSIC RESEARCH-AND-DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION, CONSTANTLY CREATING NEW ACTIVITIES, WEBSITES, EVENTS, ARTWORKS, EXHIBITS, AND MORE.

    Expenses $28,979,231 · Revenue $10,486,667

  • GLOBAL COLLABORATIONS:WE LEARN AND SHARE WITH PARTNERS WORLDWIDE. BY DRAWING ON THE EXPLORATORIUM'S BROAD EXPERTISE, GLOBAL COLLABORATIONS IS ABLE TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF CREATIVE SERVICESFROM MASTER PLANNING TO PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT TO EXHIBIT FABRICATION AND INSTALLATION. WE LIKE TO BE AS FAR UPSTREAM IN OUR CLIENTS' CREATIVE PROCESS AS POSSIBLE, EXPLORING THE RICH QUESTIONS THAT LEAD TO TRULY AUTHENTIC, INNOVATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING.

    Expenses $13,108,889 · Revenue $15,143,177

  • EDUCATOR ENGAGEMENT:WE'RE AT THE FOREFRONT OF SCIENCE EDUCATION. BY MAKING SCIENCE VISIBLE, TOUCHABLE, AND ACCESSIBLE TO A WIDE VARIETY OF PEOPLE AT THE MUSEUM, ONLINE, AND IN THE CLASSROOM. OUR EXPLORE-FOR-YOURSELF WAY OF LEARNING AND TEACHING INFLUENCES SCIENCE EDUCATION WORLDWIDE. OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS PROVIDE EDUCATORS WITH THE SKILLS, TOOLS, AND SUPPORT THEY NEED TO APPLY INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING AND TEACHING IN THEIR CLASSES. WE ALSO DESIGN PROGRAMS THAT MAKE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE TRADITIONALLY SEPARATE WORLDS OF FORMAL (SCHOOL) AND INFORMAL (MUSEUM) EDUCATION AND UNDERSTANDING.

    Expenses $10,079,272 · Revenue $5,343,006

As filed on the 2022 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • William Bill F Mellin

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Martha Ehmann Conte

    VICE-CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Roberta Katz

    VICE-CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Sharon Flanagan

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Lamar Bunts

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Ravin Agrawal

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Geno Armstrong

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Darren Bechtel

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Gary Bengier

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Lindsay Bierman

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • George W Cogan

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • W Brewster Ely

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Chris Foster

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Kevin Foster

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Lynn C Fritz

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Jonathan Heiliger

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Frances Hellman

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • F Scott Hindes

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Gregory Hunter

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Mimi Ito

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Michael R Jacobson

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • James Jones

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Martin Lauber

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Phil Marineau

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Alison Mauze

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Mary Hope Mh McQuiston

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Kenneth G Moore

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Remy Ntshaykolo

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Saul Perlmutter

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Cameron Phleger

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Vincent L Ricci

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Albert Bert Richards

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Vijay Shriram

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Craig Silverstein

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Rachel Skiffer

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • E Payson Skip Smith

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Jennifer Van Natta

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Irvenia Waters

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Remy Wilkinson

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Dan Yue

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Esther Wojcicki

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Anthony Tony F Earley Jr

    DIRECTOR (THRU 3/23)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Barbara A Carbone

    DIRECTOR (THRU 6/23)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Mickey Hart

    DIRECTOR (THRU 6/23)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Aaron Vermut

    DIRECTOR (THRU 6/23)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Mark Bierman

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $516,606
    From this org
    $511,137
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $5,469
    Hours/week
    37.5

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $453,132
    Bonus
    $57,500
    Other
    $505
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $5,469
    Filer's total
    $516,606
  • Laura Zander

    CHIEF FINANCIAL & OPERATING OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $344,513
    From this org
    $305,738
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $38,775
    Hours/week
    37.5

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $297,845
    Bonus
    $7,500
    Other
    $393
    Deferred
    $15,223
    Nontaxable benefits
    $23,552
    Filer's total
    $344,513
  • Robert Semper

    CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $319,050
    From this org
    $302,784
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $16,266
    Hours/week
    37.5

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $302,360
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $424
    Deferred
    $15,131
    Nontaxable benefits
    $1,135
    Filer's total
    $319,050
  • Phoebe White

    MANAGING DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $295,100
    From this org
    $281,012
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $14,088
    Hours/week
    37.5

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $280,619
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $393
    Deferred
    $14,031
    Nontaxable benefits
    $57
    Filer's total
    $295,100
  • Blair Winn

    SR. DIR. OF INST. ADVANCEMENT

    Total calculated
    $268,550
    From this org
    $246,443
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $22,107
    Hours/week
    37.5

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $246,095
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $348
    Deferred
    $12,425
    Nontaxable benefits
    $9,682
    Filer's total
    $268,550
  • Thomas Rockwell

    SR. CREATIVE DIR. OF GLBL COLLABS

    Total calculated
    $272,504
    From this org
    $241,439
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $31,065
    Hours/week
    37.5

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $241,095
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $344
    Deferred
    $12,289
    Nontaxable benefits
    $18,776
    Filer's total
    $272,504
  • Julie Nunn

    DIR. OF SALES & MARKETING

    Total calculated
    $205,648
    From this org
    $186,119
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $19,529
    Hours/week
    37.5

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $185,855
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $264
    Deferred
    $9,418
    Nontaxable benefits
    $10,111
    Filer's total
    $205,648
  • Jessica Parker

    SR. DIR. OF EDUC ENGAGEMENT

    Total calculated
    $191,773
    From this org
    $167,900
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $23,873
    Hours/week
    37.5

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $167,654
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $246
    Deferred
    $8,800
    Nontaxable benefits
    $15,073
    Filer's total
    $191,773
  • Anne Holmes

    SR. DIR. OF SCIENCE ARTS & RSRCH

    Total calculated
    $167,861
    From this org
    $147,792
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $20,069
    Hours/week
    37.5

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $147,578
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $214
    Deferred
    $7,637
    Nontaxable benefits
    $12,432
    Filer's total
    $167,861
  • Anne Richardson

    SR. DIR. OF GLOBAL COLLABS

    Total calculated
    $168,726
    From this org
    $144,334
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $24,392
    Hours/week
    37.5

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $144,121
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $213
    Deferred
    $7,609
    Nontaxable benefits
    $16,783
    Filer's total
    $168,726
  • Chris Flink

    FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $18,005
    From this org
    $16,371
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $1,634
    Hours/week
    0

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $16,371
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $827
    Nontaxable benefits
    $807
    Filer's total
    $18,005

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 · Independent compensation consultant
  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 3 · Compensation survey or study
  • 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

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2022
Filed
25 April 2024
IRS schema version
2022v5.0
Source object
202431209349300128

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