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MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

EIN 04-2108374 BOSTON, MA

Revenue 2023
$7,150,440
Expenses 2023
$10,548,645

Program services were 58.2% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
A800
Classification
3000
Street
1154 BOYLSTON ST

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING OF THE HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS AND THE NATION BY COLLECTING AND COMMUNICATING MATERIALS AND RESOURCES THAT FOSTER HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE.

Activities or mission (Part I)

THE MHS SEEKS TO MAKE AMERICAN HISTORY RELEVANT AND ACCESSIBLE TO ANYONE.

  • AS THE NATIONS' FIRST HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THE MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY (MHS) STRIVES TO ENHANCE THE UNDERSTANDING OF OUR NATION'S PAST AND ITS CONNECTION TO THE PRESENT, DEMONSTRATING THAT HISTORY IS NOT JUST A SERIES OF EVENTS THAT HAPPENED TO INDIVIDUALS LONG AGO BUT IS INTEGRAL TO THE FABRIC OF OUR DAILY LIVES. ITS COLLECTIONS ARE ACCESSIBLE TO ANYONE WITH AN INTEREST IN AMERICAN HISTORY. BEYOND RESEARCH, THE MHS OFFERS MANY WAYS FOR THE PUBLIC TO ENJOY ITS COLLECTIONS INCLUDING ENGAGING PROGRAMS, THOUGHT-PROVOKING EXHIBITIONS, PUBLICATIONS, SEMINARS, AND TEACHER WORKSHOPS.PLEASE SEE SCH. O FOR ADDITIONAL PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS & DESCRIPTIONS.COLLECTIONS - THE SOCIETY'S EXTRAORDINARY COLLECTIONS TELL THE STORY OF AMERICA THROUGH MILLIONS OF RARE AND UNIQUE DOCUMENTS, ARTIFACTS, AND NATIONAL TREASURES, INCLUDING THE PERSONAL PAPERS OF THREE PRESIDENTS JOHN ADAMS, JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, AND THOMAS JEFFERSON. THROUGH ITS RESEARCH LIBRARY, ONLINE RESOURCES, PUBLICATIONS, EXHIBITIONS, AND PROGRAMS, THE MHS MAKES ITS HOLDINGS ACCESSIBLE TO ANYONE WITH AN INTEREST IN THE PEOPLE AND EVENTS THAT SHAPED OUR COUNTRY. PAUL REVERE'S HANDWRITTEN ACCOUNT OF HIS FAMOUS RIDE, THOMAS JEFFERSON'S AND JOHN ADAM'S MANUSCRIPT COPIES OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND ELBRIDGE GERRY'S ANNOTATED COPY OF THE CONSTITUTION ARE AMONG THE MANY ICONIC AMERICAN DOCUMENTS OF THE MHS. SPANNING FOUR CENTURIES, THE LETTERS, DIARIES, AND OTHER PERSONAL PAPERS OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, AS WELL AS THEIR BOOKS, PHOTOGRAPHS, MAPS, NEWSPAPERS, ARTIFACTS, AND WORKS OF ART HAVE BECOME ESSENTIAL PRIMARY SOURCES FOR THE STUDY AND UNDERSTANDING OF AMERICAN HISTORY. THE LIBRARY IS FREE AND OPEN TO RESEARCHERS OF ALL AGES AND LEVELS OF INTEREST. THE LIBRARY DOES NOT LEND MATERIALS, BUT ANY PERSON INTERESTED IN USING THE COLLECTION CAN REGISTER AS A RESEARCHER AND USE MATERIALS IN THE LIBRARY. IN MANY CASES, SELECTED MATERIALS CAN BE REPRODUCED AND SENT TO INDIVIDUALS WHO CANNOT VISIT THE LIBRARY IN PERSON.EXHIBITIONS - THE SOCIETY'S EXHIBITIONS CELEBRATE THE PERSPECTIVE AMERICAN HISTORY BRINGS TO OUR OWN TIME AND ILLUSTRATE HOW IT SUSTAINS OUR REPUBLIC AND GUIDES OUR FUTURE. AS A MAJOR HISTORY PRESENTATION VENUE FOR THE REGION, THE MHS PRODUCES EXHIBITIONS THAT ARE THEMATIC, TELL STORIES, AND EXPLORE HOW TURNING POINTS IN THE PAST ARE REFLECTED IN CULTURE TODAY. THROUGHOUT FISCAL YEAR 2024, VISITORS TO OUR BUILDING WERE ABLE TO ENJOY TWO EXHIBITIONS. IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BOSTON TEA PARTY, THE MHS DISPLAYED THE EXHIBITION "THE DYE IS CAST": INTERESTS & IDEALS THAT MOTIVATED THE BOSTON TEA PARTY FROM OCTOBER 5, 2023, TO FEBRUARY 29, 2024. THIS EXHIBITION DELVED INTO A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN AMERICAN HISTORYTHE BOSTON TEA PARTYTHROUGH THE PERSPECTIVES OF SIX INDIVIDUALS AND FEATURED A REMARKABLE COLLECTION OF ARTIFACTS AND DOCUMENTS FROM THE MHS COLLECTION. MORE THAN 700 PEOPLE VISITED THE MHS JUST TO SEE THE EXHIBITION AS WELL AS MANY MORE WHO VIEWED IT AS PART OF OTHER PROGRAMMING.BOSTON VIEWS: THROUGH THE LENS OF ARTHUR A. SHURCLIFF WAS ON DISPLAY FROM MAY 6, 2024, TO FEBRUARY 28, 2025. ARTHUR ASAHEL SHURCLIFF (18701957), A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, CREATED A COLLECTION OF 1,295 GLASS LANTERN SLIDES THAT DEPICT CITYSCAPES AND BUILDINGS IN BOSTON DURING THE FIRST DECADES OF THE 20TH CENTURY, AND MUCH MORE. IN ADDITION TO VIEWS OF BOSTON REPRODUCED IN THE EXHIBITION, THE MHS DISPLAYED SLIDES OF HISTORICAL MAPS AND PAINTINGS, PLANS AND DRAWINGS CREATED BY SHURCLIFF TO ILLUSTRATE URBAN GROWTH AND LAND USE, AND EARLY AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF BOSTON AND OTHER CITIES. THROUGHOUT THE RUN OF THE SHOW, THE MHS WELCOMED MORE THAN 1,310 EXHIBITION VISITORS ALONG WITH THOSE WHO VIEWED IT AS PART OF OTHER PROGRAMMING. EDUCATION AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS - CONTINUING TO DEVELOP A VIBRANT SELECTION OF PUBLIC AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ENABLES THE MHS TO HELP ENHANCE THE UNDERSTANDING OF OUR NATION'S PAST AND ITS CONNECTION TO THE PRESENT. FISCAL YEAR 2024 WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF A THREE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE MHS. EDUCATION AND PROGRAMMING FEATURE PROMINENTLY IN THIS PLAN. EDUCATION GOALS INCLUDE PROMOTING THE TEACHING OF HISTORY AND CIVICS ACROSS THE K-12 STUDENT POPULATION IN MASSACHUSETTS; REACHING MORE STUDENTS FOR NATIONAL HISTORY DAY (NHD); PROVIDING MORE ACCESS TO THE SOCIETY'S PRIMARY SOURCE MATERIALS BY EXPANDING THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES SUCH AS THE HISTORY SOURCE; AND ACTIVELY SEEK PARTNERS WHO WILL ALLOW US TO LEVERAGE OUR EDUCATION EFFORTS.THE HISTORY SOURCE, A FREE ONLINE RESOURCE HOSTED BY THE MHS, CONTINUES TO GROW. FIVE NEW SOURCE SETS WERE RELEASED IN FISCAL YEAR 2024. OUR EDUCATION TEAM OFFERED 14 TEACHER TRAINING SESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR SERVING MORE THAN 100 EDUCATORS. THERE WERE SEVEN STUDENT PROGRAMS SERVING 149 STUDENTS NOT INCLUDING THE NATIONAL HISTORY DAY (NHD) CONTESTS. STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN NHD IN MASSACHUSETTS GREW BY 25% IN FISCAL YEAR 2024. A TOTAL OF 2,758 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM WITH 533 STUDENTS AT THREE REGIONAL CONTESTS AND 300 STUDENTS AT THE STATE CONTEST. THE MHS PILOTED A SUCCESSFUL INTRODUCTION TO NHD COURSE, WHICH LED TO TWO NEW SCHOOLS ADOPTING NHD.THE MHS PROGRAMMING STRATEGY INCLUDES PROVIDING INNOVATIVE AND UNIQUE EXPERIENCES THAT HIGHLIGHT THE SOCIETY'S COLLECTION AND HISTORICAL EXPERTISE TO REACH NEW AUDIENCES AND RETAIN EXISTING CONSTITUENCIES. IT ALSO INVOLVES MORE OUTREACH TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES TO BROADEN CONNECTIONS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2024, PROGRAMMING DESIGNED FOR BOTH GENERAL AND SCHOLARLY AUDIENCES ATTRACTED MORE THAN 7,240 ATTENDEES AT PROGRAMS, SEMINAR SESSIONS, AND SPECIAL EVENTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. A WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMS WERE OFFERED IN FISCAL YEAR 2024 INCLUDING CARIBBEAN AMERICANS & POLITICS: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF THE CARIBBEAN AMERICAN CARNIVAL OF BOSTON; WRITING HISTORY WITH CELEBRATED NPR HOST AND AUTHOR STEVE INSKEEP, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AMERICAN ANCESTORS/NEHGS, GBH FORUM NETWORK, AND PORTER SQUARE BOOKS; NECESSARY TROUBLE: A CONVERSATION WITH DREW FAUST; WHEATLEY IN THE 21ST CENTURY: A READING AND BOOK LAUNCH; ITALIAN INFLUENCE ON BOSTON'S CULTURE, ECONOMY, AND POLITICS WITH LAWRENCE DICARA AND JAMES PASTO; CHASING BEAUTY: THE LIFE OF ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER WITH NATALIE DYKSTRA; AND DEMOCRACY AWAKENING, A CONVERSATION WITH HEATHER COX RICHARDSON.RESEARCH - THE SOCIETY STRIVES TO FOSTER A RESEARCH COMMUNITY THAT ACTIVELY PROMOTES THE STUDY OF THE HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS AND THE NATION. WE OFFER AN EXCEPTIONAL RANGE OF RESOURCES FOR MAKING AND SHARING HISTORICAL DISCOVERIES INCLUDING PUBLIC TALKS, TOURS, EXHIBITIONS, SCHOLARLY SEMINARS, CONFERENCES, AND ACCESS TO OUR COLLECTIONS THROUGH OUR WEBSITE AND LIBRARY. WE AWARDED 63 FELLOWSHIPS IN FISCAL YEAR 2024 INCLUDING MHS-NEH LONG-TERM, MHS SHORT-TERM, NERFC, TEACHER, AND STUDENT FELLOWSHIPS. EACH YEAR, THE MHS WELCOMES A WIDE VARIETY OF RESEARCHERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD FROM HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND FAMILY HISTORIANS TO PROFESSORS AND PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHORS. THESE RESEARCHERS NETWORK, SHARE THEIR FINDINGS, AND EXCHANGE IDEAS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2024, THERE WERE 2,055 RESEARCH VISITS FROM 645 INDIVIDUAL RESEARCHERS FROM 34 STATES AND 18 COUNTRIES OUTSIDE OF THE US. IN FISCAL YEAR 2024, WE PILOTED AN EARLY CAREER SCHOLARS COMMITTEE AND MENTORSHIP PROGRAM. ONE WAY TO INTRODUCE SCHOLARS TO CAREER PATHS BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, THIS PROGRAM IS PART OF OUR STRATEGIC GOAL TO USE OUR NETWORKS TO PROVIDE PATHS TO PUBLIC HISTORY. MORE ROBUST ENGAGEMENT AT SEMINARS IS ONE WAY WE MEASURED SUCCESS OF THE PILOT. TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE OUR RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND FELLOWSHIPS, IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 WE PLAN TO CONTINUE THE EARLY CAREER SCHOLARS COMMITTEE AND MENTORSHIP PROGRAM AND WILL LAUNCH A PODCAST TO PROMOTE MHS RESEARCHERS AND FELLOWS. PUBLICATION AND DOCUMENTARY EDITING INCLUDING THE ADAMS PAPERS -THE MHS BEGAN PUBLISHING BOOKS IN 1792 AND IS ONE OF THE OLDEST, CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING PUBLISHERS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND MAKES AVAILABLE PRINTED BOOKS, ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS, A NEWSLETTER, AND SCHOLARLY JOURNAL. THE MHS PUBLISHES PRINT AND ELECTRONIC WORKS THAT PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT AND MAKE AVAILABLE THE CONTENT OF SOME OF ITS MOST SIGNIFICANT COLLECTIONS AND THE PEOPLE WHO CREATED THEM.

    Expenses $6,135,348 · Grants $148,063 · Revenue $42,834

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Officers and directors · 2023

As listed in Part VII of the 2023 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • CATHERINE ALLGOR

    PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $334,954
    From this org
    $300,763
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $34,191
    Hours/week
    35

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $290,763
    Bonus
    $10,000
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $11,862
    Nontaxable benefits
    $22,329
    Filer's total
    $334,954

  • AMANDA H CLARK MACMULLAN

    SENIOR VP FOR PROGRAMS & EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

    Total calculated
    $205,141
    From this org
    $176,654
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $28,487
    Hours/week
    35

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $176,654
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $7,242
    Nontaxable benefits
    $21,245
    Filer's total
    $205,141

  • BRENDA M LAWSON

    SENIOR VP OF COLLECTIONS & CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

    Total calculated
    $202,197
    From this org
    $169,944
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $32,253
    Hours/week
    35

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $169,944
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $7,097
    Nontaxable benefits
    $25,156
    Filer's total
    $202,197

  • VICTORIA MCKAY

    DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

    Total calculated
    $164,063
    From this org
    $120,620
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $43,443
    Hours/week
    35

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $120,620
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $5,475
    Nontaxable benefits
    $37,968
    Filer's total
    $164,063

  • PETER DRUMMEY

    CHIEF HISTORIAN & LIBRARIAN

    Total calculated
    $157,577
    From this org
    $144,286
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $13,291
    Hours/week
    35

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $144,286
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $2,600
    Nontaxable benefits
    $10,691
    Filer's total
    $157,577

  • KANISORN WONGSRICHANALAI

    DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH

    Total calculated
    $142,167
    From this org
    $124,847
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $17,320
    Hours/week
    35

  • SARA MARTIN

    EDITOR IN CHIEF

    Total calculated
    $141,327
    From this org
    $126,903
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $14,424
    Hours/week
    35

  • CAROL W KNAUFF

    VP FO PROGRAMS & EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

    Total calculated
    $137,679
    From this org
    $102,806
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $34,873
    Hours/week
    35

  • MELINDA BARBER

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • ELIZABETH A CHANG

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • MICHAEL A EWALD

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • ANNETTE GORDON-REED

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • SUSAN W HUNNEWELL

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • G NATHANIEL JEPPSON

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • RENE JONES

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • ROBERT KWAK

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • ANTHONY H LENESS

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • ANNE CRAIGE MCNAY

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • JOHN O'LEARY

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • ROBERT G RIPLEY JR

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • PAUL W SANDMAN

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • CATHERINE BABSON JR

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • JAMES SEGEL

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • JUDITH BRYANT WITTENBERG

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • GREGORY GROOVER

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

The first 25 listed. 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. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

  • 2023
    Revenue
    $7,150,440
    Expenses
    $10,548,645
    Contributions
    $3,720,009
    Grants paid
    $148,063
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $3,698,624
    Expenses
    $9,479,740
    Contributions
    $2,392,568
    Grants paid
    $232,375

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

  • 2024 · 990-T

    Revenue
    not reported
    Expenses
    not reported
    Assets (EOY)
    not reported

  • 2023 · 990-T

    Revenue
    not reported
    Expenses
    not reported
    Assets (EOY)
    not reported

  • 2022 · 990-T

    Revenue
    not reported
    Expenses
    not reported
    Assets (EOY)
    not reported

  • 2021 · 990

    Revenue
    $9,533,409
    Expenses
    $8,643,577
    Assets (EOY)
    $141,808,297

  • 2021 · 990-T

    Revenue
    not reported
    Expenses
    not reported
    Assets (EOY)
    not reported

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $13,508,822
    Expenses
    $7,902,647
    Assets (EOY)
    $153,195,244

  • 2020 · 990-T

    Revenue
    not reported
    Expenses
    not reported
    Assets (EOY)
    not reported

  • 2019 · 990

    Revenue
    $4,181,044
    Expenses
    $7,426,948
    Assets (EOY)
    $105,486,526

  • 2018 · 990

    Revenue
    $6,544,486
    Expenses
    $7,265,575
    Assets (EOY)
    $103,104,558

  • 2017 · 990

    Revenue
    $3,830,085
    Expenses
    $6,256,524
    Assets (EOY)
    $98,619,321

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all. Showing the 10 most recent; the API carries the rest.

Grants made

No itemized grants to organizations. Schedule I is filed only by organizations that granted more than $5,000 to a recipient, so most filers have none.

Grants received

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Related organizations

From Schedule R Part II, where a filer lists the tax-exempt organizations it is related to by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

Declared as related by

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 26 October 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2023, the newest we have parsed for this organization.