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Nonprofiteer
← MISSISSIPPI AQUARIUM

Form 990 for tax year 2025

Filed by MISSISSIPPI AQUARIUM.

Totals

Total revenue
$7,657,771
Total expenses
$8,957,698
Contributions and grants received
$494,608
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$7,153,013
Investment income
$20,691
Other revenue
-$10,541
Total assets, end of year
$4,444,355
Total liabilities, end of year
$6,030,491
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
-$1,586,136
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$7,362,359
Management and general expenses
$1,390,094
Fundraising expenses
$205,245
Program service expenses (Part III)
$7,362,359

Program services were 82.2% 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.

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $494,608

  • 2a · Program service revenue: GATE REVENUE

    total $5,707,289 · related or exempt $5,707,289

  • 2b · Program service revenue: EVENTS AND COMMISSIONS

    total $1,159,371 · related or exempt $1,159,371

  • 2c · Program service revenue: EDUCATION REVENUE

    total $286,353 · related or exempt $286,353

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $20,691 · excluded $20,691

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $13,905

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $24,446

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total -$10,541 · excluded -$10,541

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $680,665 · program services $282,500 · management and general $358,000 · fundraising $40,165

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $3,024,087 · program services $2,863,420 · management and general $40,173 · fundraising $120,494

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $61,260 · program services $31,367 · management and general $29,920 · fundraising -$27

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $486,437 · program services $426,113 · management and general $44,798 · fundraising $15,526

  • 11a · Fees: management

    total $364 · management and general $364

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $79,812 · management and general $79,812

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $19,750 · management and general $19,750

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $2,763 · management and general $2,763

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $617,711 · program services $595,172 · fundraising $22,539

  • 17 · Travel

    total $18,438 · program services $13,375 · management and general $5,063

  • 20 · Interest

    total $251,615 · management and general $251,615

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $295,531 · management and general $295,531

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $498,099 · program services $488,000 · management and general $10,099

  • 24a · Other expenses: UTILITIES

    total $1,008,237 · program services $967,252 · management and general $40,985

  • 24b · Other expenses: GENERAL/OTHER

    total $404,469 · program services $325,567 · management and general $77,815 · fundraising $1,087

  • 24c · Other expenses: ANIMAL COLLECTIONS/CARE

    total $388,318 · program services $388,318

  • 24d · Other expenses: REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE

    total $356,078 · program services $355,881 · management and general $197

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $764,064 · program services $625,394 · management and general $133,209 · fundraising $5,461

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $458,641 · end of year $479,371

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $1,724,142 · end of year $979,096

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $463,458 · end of year $200,490

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $322,427 · end of year $303,046

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

    $3,811,071

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

    $1,328,719

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $2,746,381 · end of year $2,482,352

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $1,074,738 · end of year $639,380

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $265,148 · end of year $394,517

  • 24 · Unsecured notes and loans payable

    beginning of year $4,496,594 · end of year $4,996,594

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year -$932,652 · end of year -$1,796,561

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $811,221 · end of year $210,425

Mission and programs · 2025

Mission

TO DO ANY AND ALL THINGS IN CONNECTION WITH THE OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT OF AN AQUARIUM AND PROVIDING, MAINTAINING, AND ENCOURAGING THE USE OF QUALITY PUBLIC FACILITIES AND WORKS WHICH WILL OFFER SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, EDUCATIONAL, AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC AND MAINTAINING AND CARING FOR A VARIED AND EXTENSIVE INVENTORY OF AQUATIC LIFE IN A HUMANE, HEALTHY, AND SANITARY ENVIRONMENT FOR A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE FOR SUCH AQUATIC LIFE.

  • ANIMAL CARE - TO DELIVER AN AWE-INSPIRING ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE WHICH SUPPORTS ANIMAL RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION, INSPIRES LEARNING AND INSTILLS A PASSION FOR THE AQUATIC WORLD.

    Expenses $1,347,746

  • FACILITY OPERATIONS - TO PROVIDE A WINDOW TO THE WATERS OF MISSISSIPPI, THE GULF COAST AND BEYOND, WHILE FOSTERING A SENSE OF APPRECIATION BY ENCOURAGING GUESTS TO EXPLORE MAJESTIC ENVIRONMENTS AND PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION EFFORTS.

    Expenses $3,144,037 · Revenue $6,127,099

  • EDUCATION AND OUTREACH - TO REACH THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF ALL GUESTS BY CONNECTING THEM WITH THE PLANET'S MOST PRECIOUS ECOSYSTEMS IS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND MISSISSIPPI AQUARIUM'S EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

    Expenses $579,761 · Revenue $286,353

  • MISSISSIPPI AQUARIUM WILL TELL THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF ALL OF MISSISSIPPI'S AQUATIC RESOURCES FROM THE DELTA TO THE COASTLINE AND THE REMARKABLE CONNECTION THAT TIES ALL OF THE STATE'S NATURAL RESOURCES UNIQUELY TOGETHER.

    Expenses $2,290,815 · Revenue $739,561

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • WALT PANNEL

    BOARD CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.25

  • KURT ALLEN

    PRESIDENT/CEO

    Total calculated
    $225,000
    From this org
    $225,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $225,000
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0
    Filer's total
    $225,000

  • DUNCAN MCKENZIE

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.25

  • RICH WESTFALL

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.25

  • MATTHEW GRICE

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.25

  • BEN PACE

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.25

  • MICHAEL SUNDERMAN

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.25

  • DR SCOTT WILLARD

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.25

  • KELLY DARNELL

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.25

  • TRACI HAVELIN

    CFO

    Total calculated
    $133,000
    From this org
    $133,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

  • JEFF GIBULA

    SR VP OF PROPERTY OPERATIO

    Total calculated
    $110,000
    From this org
    $110,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

  • DR ALEXA DELAUNE

    VP OF VETERINARY SERVICES

    Total calculated
    $104,000
    From this org
    $104,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    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 · 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
2025
Filed
16 July 2026
IRS schema version
2025v4.2
Source object
202642039349301259

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