Totals
- Total revenue
- $66,629,029
- Total expenses
- $65,980,256
- Contributions and grants received
- $29,401,850
- Grants paid
- $8,700
- Program service revenue
- $29,445,309
- Investment income
- $5,041,671
- Other revenue
- $2,740,199
- Total assets, end of year
- $293,014,681
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $50,041,593
- Net assets or fund balances, end of year
- $242,973,088
- Program services expenses (Part IX)
- $51,512,361
- Management and general expenses
- $10,853,774
- Fundraising expenses
- $3,614,121
- Program service expenses (Part III)
- $51,512,361
Program services were 78.1% 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
$1,325,135
-
1e · Government grants (contributions)
$6,788,907
-
1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants
$21,287,808
-
1g · Noncash contributions included above
$2,516,242
-
2a · Program service revenue: GLOBAL COLLABORATIONS
total $12,480,999 · related or exempt $12,480,999
-
2b · Program service revenue: ADMISSIONS & MEMBERSHIPS
total $10,648,260 · related or exempt $10,648,260
-
2c · Program service revenue: WORKSHOPS & EDUCATION
total $3,789,411 · related or exempt $3,789,411
-
2d · Program service revenue: CONSULTING
total $940,986 · related or exempt $940,986
-
2e · Program service revenue: MISCELLANEOUS EARNED REVENUE
total $519,049 · related or exempt $519,049
-
2f · All other program service revenue
total $1,066,604 · related or exempt $934,904 · excluded $131,700
-
3 · Investment income
total $1,781,271 · unrelated business $63,877 · excluded $1,717,394
-
6a · Gross rents
real property $4,263,020
-
6b · Less rental expenses
real property $1,823,191
-
6c · Rental income or loss
real property $2,439,829
-
6d · Net rental income or loss
total $2,439,829 · excluded $2,439,829
-
7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory
securities $47,506,799
-
7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses
securities $44,246,399
-
7c · Gain or loss
securities $3,260,400
-
7d · Net gain or loss
total $3,260,400 · excluded $3,260,400
-
8a · Fundraising events: gross income
$103,630
-
8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c
$1,325,135
-
8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses
$633,399
-
8c · Net income from fundraising events
total -$529,769 · excluded -$529,769
-
10a · Gross sales of inventory
$1,606,664
-
10b · Cost of goods sold
$776,525
-
10c · Net income from sales of inventory
total $830,139 · related or exempt $830,139
Functional expenses
Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.
-
2 · Grants to domestic individuals
total $4,700 · program services $4,700
-
3 · Grants to foreign organizations and individuals
total $4,000 · program services $4,000
-
5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
total $2,792,830 · program services $1,057,767 · management and general $1,477,423 · fundraising $257,640
-
6 · Compensation of disqualified persons
total $30,240,345 · program services $24,030,238 · management and general $4,305,684 · fundraising $1,904,423
-
9 · Other employee benefits
total $6,021,183 · program services $4,919,841 · management and general $693,071 · fundraising $408,271
-
10 · Payroll taxes
total $2,330,197 · program services $2,068,448 · management and general $121,937 · fundraising $139,812
-
11g · Fees: other
total $11,084,483 · program services $8,329,844 · management and general $2,038,756 · fundraising $715,883
-
12 · Advertising and promotion
total $2,091,994 · program services $2,027,054 · management and general $4,800 · fundraising $60,140
-
13 · Office expenses
total $567,704 · program services $501,957 · management and general $9,193 · fundraising $56,554
-
16 · Occupancy
total $3,285,247 · program services $2,515,884 · management and general $752,741 · fundraising $16,622
-
17 · Travel
total $1,087,904 · program services $1,040,558 · management and general $46,280 · fundraising $1,066
-
19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings
total $296,890 · program services $199,108 · management and general $85,276 · fundraising $12,506
-
22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization
total $4,617,326 · program services $3,959,902 · management and general $638,812 · fundraising $18,612
-
24a · Other expenses: PRODUCTION SUPPLIES
total $2,680,779 · program services $2,003,398 · management and general $661,677 · fundraising $15,704
-
24b · Other expenses: STIPENDS
total $674,395 · program services $672,853 · fundraising $1,542
-
24c · Other expenses: GIFT IN KIND
total $23,470 · management and general $18,124 · fundraising $5,346
-
24d · Other expenses: RENTAL EXP LN 6B
total -$1,823,191 · program services -$1,823,191
Balance sheet
Part X, book values.
-
1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing
beginning of year $8,481,183 · end of year $4,992,976
-
2 · Savings and temporary cash investments
beginning of year $4,366,967 · end of year $1,207,027
-
3 · Pledges and grants receivable
beginning of year $7,268,699 · end of year $9,072,627
-
4 · Accounts receivable
beginning of year $750,856 · end of year $1,496,152
-
8 · Inventories for sale or use
beginning of year $1,166,538 · end of year $1,098,060
-
9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges
beginning of year $1,799,438 · end of year $1,834,968
-
10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis
$234,443,075
-
10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation
$73,060,497
-
10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net
beginning of year $162,324,040 · end of year $161,382,578
-
11 · Investments: publicly traded securities
beginning of year $52,428,929 · end of year $68,019,420
-
12 · Investments: other securities
beginning of year $32,493,793 · end of year $31,586,543
-
15 · Other assets
beginning of year $13,652,171 · end of year $12,324,330
-
17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses
beginning of year $7,020,352 · end of year $8,711,513
-
19 · Deferred revenue
beginning of year $5,767,944 · end of year $6,774,355
-
20 · Tax-exempt bond liabilities
beginning of year $21,149,096 · end of year $20,408,200
-
25 · Other liabilities
beginning of year $14,929,798 · end of year $14,147,525
-
27 · Net assets without donor restrictions
beginning of year $141,859,290 · end of year $136,470,417
-
28 · Net assets with donor restrictions
beginning of year $94,006,134 · end of year $106,502,671
Mission and programs · 2023
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 $31,061,458 · Revenue $10,648,260
-
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 SERVICES FROM 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 $11,101,771 · Revenue $12,480,999
-
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 $9,349,132 · Grants $8,700 · Revenue $6,316,050
As filed on the 2023 return.
Listed in Part VII
-
William Bill F MellinWILLIAM BILL F MELLIN
CHAIR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Martha Ehmann ConteMARTHA EHMANN CONTE
VICE-CHAIR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Irvenia WatersIRVENIA WATERS
VICE-CHAIR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Sharon FlanaganSHARON FLANAGAN
SECRETARY
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Lamar BuntsLAMAR BUNTS
TREASURER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Ravin AgrawalRAVIN AGRAWAL
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Geno ArmstrongGENO ARMSTRONG
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Darren BechtelDARREN BECHTEL
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Gary BengierGARY BENGIER
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
George W CoganGEORGE W COGAN
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
W Brewster ElyW BREWSTER ELY
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Chris FosterCHRIS FOSTER
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Kevin FosterKEVIN FOSTER
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Lynn C FritzLYNN C FRITZ
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Jonathan HeiligerJONATHAN HEILIGER
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Frances HellmanFRANCES HELLMAN
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
F Scott HindesF SCOTT HINDES
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Gregory HunterGREGORY HUNTER
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Mimi ItoMIMI ITO
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Michael R JacobsonMICHAEL R JACOBSON
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
James JonesJAMES JONES
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Roberta KatzROBERTA KATZ
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Martin LauberMARTIN LAUBER
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Phil MarineauPHIL MARINEAU
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Alison MauzeALISON MAUZE
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Mary Hope Mh McQuistonMARY HOPE MH MCQUISTON
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Kenneth G MooreKENNETH G MOORE
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Remy NtshaykoloREMY NTSHAYKOLO
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Saul PerlmutterSAUL PERLMUTTER
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Cameron PhlegerCAMERON PHLEGER
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Vincent L RicciVINCENT L RICCI
DIRECTOR (THRU 12/12/23)
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Albert Bert RichardsALBERT BERT RICHARDS
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Vijay ShriramVIJAY SHRIRAM
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Craig SilversteinCRAIG SILVERSTEIN
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Rachel SkifferRACHEL SKIFFER
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
E Payson Skip SmithE PAYSON SKIP SMITH
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Jennifer Van NattaJENNIFER VAN NATTA
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Remy WilkinsonREMY WILKINSON
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Esther WojcickiESTHER WOJCICKI
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Dan YueDAN YUE
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Mark BiermanMARK BIERMAN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $609,010
- From this org
- $583,952
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $25,058
- Hours/week
- 37.5
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $581,101
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $2,851
- Deferred
- $16,500
- Nontaxable benefits
- $8,558
- Filer's total
- $609,010
-
Laura ZanderLAURA ZANDER
CHIEF FINANCIAL & OPERATING OFFICER
- Total calculated
- $324,313
- From this org
- $286,820
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $37,493
- Hours/week
- 37.5
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $286,411
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $409
- Deferred
- $14,680
- Nontaxable benefits
- $22,813
- Filer's total
- $324,313
-
Phoebe WhitePHOEBE WHITE
CHIEF OPERATING OFC. (THRU 9/22/23)
- Total calculated
- $355,135
- From this org
- $344,719
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $10,416
- Hours/week
- 37.5
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $276,369
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $68,350
- Deferred
- $10,416
- Nontaxable benefits
- $0
- Filer's total
- $355,135
-
Robert SemperROBERT SEMPER
CHIEF LEARNING OFFICER
- Total calculated
- $331,164
- From this org
- $314,320
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $16,844
- Hours/week
- 37.5
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $313,880
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $440
- Deferred
- $15,707
- Nontaxable benefits
- $1,137
- Filer's total
- $331,164
-
Blair WinnBLAIR WINN
CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER
- Total calculated
- $280,758
- From this org
- $257,640
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $23,118
- Hours/week
- 37.5
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $257,276
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $364
- Deferred
- $12,990
- Nontaxable benefits
- $10,128
- Filer's total
- $280,758
-
Julie NunnJULIE NUNN
CHIEF BRAND OFFICER
- Total calculated
- $237,780
- From this org
- $216,235
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $21,545
- Hours/week
- 37.5
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $215,929
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $306
- Deferred
- $10,928
- Nontaxable benefits
- $10,617
- Filer's total
- $237,780
-
Anne RichardsonANNE RICHARDSON
CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER
- Total calculated
- $232,308
- From this org
- $215,636
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $16,672
- Hours/week
- 37.5
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $215,327
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $309
- Deferred
- $11,024
- Nontaxable benefits
- $5,648
- Filer's total
- $232,308
-
Jason PacelyJASON PACELY
CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER
- Total calculated
- $232,173
- From this org
- $209,277
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $22,896
- Hours/week
- 37.5
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $208,976
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $301
- Deferred
- $4,120
- Nontaxable benefits
- $18,776
- Filer's total
- $232,173
-
Anne HolmesANNE HOLMES
CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER
- Total calculated
- $200,438
- From this org
- $181,139
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $19,299
- Hours/week
- 37.5
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $180,882
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $257
- Deferred
- $9,171
- Nontaxable benefits
- $10,128
- Filer's total
- $200,438
-
Thomas RockwellTHOMAS ROCKWELL
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER
- Total calculated
- $212,111
- From this org
- $183,092
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $29,019
- Hours/week
- 37.5
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $182,831
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $261
- Deferred
- $9,387
- Nontaxable benefits
- $19,632
- Filer's total
- $212,111
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
- 2023
- Filed
- 6 May 2025
- IRS schema version
- 2023v6.0
- Source object
- 202501329349306555
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