National Building Museum

Analysis

National Building Museum is a registered charity in United States, based in Washington, DC. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in February 1976, 50 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 September 2023, National Building Museum reported income of $6.9m and spending of $6.7m, spending 98% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from September 2019 to September 2023, income fell from $8.6m to $6.9m (-20%), an average of -5.5% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to September 2022, when income rose by 54%. Over the whole period it spent 89% of the income it received.

Among 45,478 United States charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, National Building Museum sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 97% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 94th percentile, and in the 83rd percentile within DC. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Shelburne Museum Incorporated ($6.9m), Houston Advanced Research Center ($6.9m) and Biogenerator ($6.9m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending September 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 59% and program service revenue 33% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $713k (11% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $2.0m. At year end it held assets of $8.9m against liabilities of $657k, net assets of $8.2m. It reported 63 employees.