The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Analysis

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a registered charity in United States, based in New York, NY. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in March 1994, 32 years ago. Its declared purposes cover arts, culture and humanities, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending June 2023, The Metropolitan Museum of Art reported income of $761.5m and spending of $420.2m, leaving 45% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from June 2019 to June 2023, income grew from $515.1m to $761.5m (+48%), an average of +10% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to June 2021, when income rose by 29%. Over the whole period it spent 74% of the income it received.

Among 45,478 United States charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, The Metropolitan Museum of Art sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 100th percentile, and in the 100th percentile within NY. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include American Chemical Society ($711.0m), Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc ($764.6m) and Fermi Research Alliance LLC ($658.7m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending June 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 50% and program service revenue 1.0% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $10.3m (2.4% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $135.5m. It paid $111k in professional fundraising fees. At year end it held assets of $5.61bn against liabilities of $617.1m, net assets of $5.00bn. It reported 2,127 employees.