AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

EIN 13-6162659 · Arts, Culture & Humanities (A560)

What they do

THE MUSEUMS MISSION STATEMENT IS: "TO DISCOVER, INTERPRET, and DISSEMINATE - THROUGH SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH and EDUCATION - KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HUMAN CULTURES, THE NATURAL WORLD, and THE UNIVERSE."

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $83.10 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders70 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

93.87%of revenue went to mission work83.1% of expenses · Program services

4.75%of revenue went to fundraising4.2% of expenses

$112.89spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

14.27%of revenue went to management and office costs12.6% of expenses

$6.02in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

62.2%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $31,812,021 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $1,796,115 for LISA GUGENHEIM (DIR. OF THE MUS. (END 6/30/24)). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$246,764,235

Mission workProgram services$231,635,71993.87% of revenue83.1% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$35,213,58214.27% of revenue12.6% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$11,726,9554.75% of revenue4.2% of expenses

Total expenses$278,576,256112.89% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 83.1% mission · 12.6% management · 4.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 112.89% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 82.8% mission · 13.3% management · 3.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 108.90% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 80.6% mission · 15.3% management · 4.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.56% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 81.0% mission · 15.5% management · 3.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 88.37% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 82.5% mission · 14.1% management · 3.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 94.79% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 82.9% mission · 13.5% management · 3.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 106.29% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 82.8% mission · 13.6% management · 3.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 98.13% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 82.0% mission · 14.3% management · 3.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 104.75% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$246,764,235

Expenses$278,576,256

Annual shortfall $31,812,021 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$231,635,719 · 83.1% of expenses

Management and office costs$35,213,582 · 12.6% of expenses

Fundraising$11,726,955 · 4.2% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$246,764,235

Expenses$278,576,256

Assets$1,675,751,473

Income$444,318,775

Contributions$153,511,874

Mission work (program services)$231,635,719

Fundraising$11,726,955

Grants given$17,104,784

Average grant$105,585

Management and general$35,213,582

Stocks and bonds$243,445,115

Accounting fees$362,673

Investing fees$1,555,531

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

LISA GUGENHEIMDIR. OF THE MUS. (END 6/30/24) · 45 hrs/week $1,796,115Base $1,738,936 · Other $57,179

SEAN M DECATURPRESIDENT & EX OFFICIO TRUSTEE · 55 hrs/week $1,502,408Base $1,216,070 · Other $286,338

MICHAEL NOVACEKCURATOR (FMR SR VP & PROVOST) · 35 hrs/week $860,854Base $789,415 · Other $71,439

WARD C WHEELERCURATOR · 35 hrs/week $647,700Base $536,173 · Other $111,527

ANNE CANTYSR VP COMMUNICATIONS,MARKETING · 45 hrs/week $619,778Base $460,769 · Other $159,009

CHERYL HAYASHISR VP & PROVOST · 45 hrs/week $573,493Base $478,177 · Other $95,316

DANIEL STODDARDACTING SR VP CFO & CIO · 45 hrs/week $567,221Base $479,619 · Other $87,602

JOHN FLYNNDEAN OF GRAD SCHOOL & CURATOR · 35 hrs/week $561,012Base $455,585 · Other $105,427

JUAN MONTESCHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER · 35 hrs/week $553,327Base $437,728 · Other $115,599

RICHARD A MADONNASR VP & CFO-(END 3/3/25) · 45 hrs/week $542,107Base $485,462 · Other $56,645

AMY SONNENBORNSR VP CHIEF ADV OFFICER · 45 hrs/week $486,684Base $412,942 · Other $73,742

RHEA GORDONSR VP GEN COUNSEL & SECRETARY · 45 hrs/week $469,106Base $418,299 · Other $50,807

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (70)

LISA GUGENHEIMDIR. OF THE MUS. (END 6/30/24)

SEAN M DECATURPRESIDENT & EX OFFICIO TRUSTEE

MICHAEL NOVACEKCURATOR (FMR SR VP & PROVOST)

WARD C WHEELERCURATOR

ANNE CANTYSR VP COMMUNICATIONS,MARKETING

CHERYL HAYASHISR VP & PROVOST

DANIEL STODDARDACTING SR VP CFO & CIO

JOHN FLYNNDEAN OF GRAD SCHOOL & CURATOR

JUAN MONTESCHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

RICHARD A MADONNASR VP & CFO-(END 3/3/25)

AMY SONNENBORNSR VP CHIEF ADV OFFICER

RHEA GORDONSR VP GEN COUNSEL & SECRETARY

MARIET MORGANVP EDUCATION

DANIEL SLIPPENSR VP GOV REL & COMM ENGT

LAURI HALDERMANSR VP FOR EXHIB (END 10/7/24)

KALA HARINARAYANANSR VP & CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER

JENNIFER OBUSASSISTANT SEC. (ST. 12/4/24)

JACQUELINE POWERSASSISTANT SEC. (END 6/4/24)

CAROL TANGSR VP LEARNING (ST. 11/6/24)

LORNE MICHAELSTRUSTEE

KENNETH L WALLACHTRUSTEE

LIZ PERLMANTRUSTEE(START 10/9/24)

LOIS CHILESTRUSTEE

JOSEPH H GLEBERMANTRUSTEE

LINDA R MACAULAYVICE CHARIMAN

LAURA B WHITMANTRUSTEE

MARLENE HESSTRUSTEE(END 12/4/24)

NANAR YOSELOFFTRUSTEE

PEGGY HAMBURGTRUSTEE(END 12/4/24)

PETER J SOLOMONTRUSTEE

RAYMOND J MCGUIRETREASURER

RICHARD E JAFFETRUSTEE

ROBERTO A MIGNONEVICE CHAIRMAN

ROGER JUAN MALDONADOTRUSTEE

SCOTT L BOKCHAIRMAN

SHAWN LEVYTRUSTEE

THEODORE A MATHASVICE CHAIRMAN

THEODORE ROOSEVELT IVTRUSTEE

TINA FEYTRUSTEE

VALERIE S PELTIERVICE CHAIRMAN

WILLIAM R HEARST IIITRUSTEE

HON ADRIENNE E ADAMSEX OFFICIO TRUSTEE

ALONDRA NELSONTRUSTEE(START 10/9/24)

AMABEL JAMESTRUSTEE

ANDREW CRAWFORDTRUSTEE(START 10/9/24)

ANN TISCHTRUSTEE

BEN GOTTESMANTRUSTEE

CHERYL C EFFRONTRUSTEE(END 12/4/24)

CHRISTINE A VARNEYSECRETARY(END 12/4/24)TRUSTEE

CHRISTOPHER KELLENTRUSTEE

CHRISTOPHER C DAVISVICE CHAIRMAN

DAN SIMKOWITZTRUSTEE

DANA SPRINGERTRUSTEE

EDWIN H MORGENSTRUSTEE

GEORGINA BLOOMBERGTRUSTEE

HALLIE NATHTRUSTEE(START 10/9/24)

KEITH MEISTERTRUSTEE

HON BRAD LANDEREX OFFICIO TRUSTEE

HON DAVID C BANKSEX OFF. TRUSTEE(END 10/16/24)

HON ERIC ADAMSEX OFFICIO TRUSTEE

HON IRIS RODRIGUEZ-ROSAEX OFFICIO TRUSTEE(ST. 6/1/25)

HON LAURIE A CUMBOEX OFFICIO TRUSTEE

HON MARK LEVINEEX OFFICIO TRUSTEE

HON MELISSA AVILES-RAMOSEX OFF TRUSTEE(ST. 10/16/24)

HON SUSAN DONOGHUEEX OFFICIO TRUSTEE(END 6/1/25)

JOHN KING JRVICE CHAIRMAN

JOHN T LYKOURETZOSTRUSTEE

ALEXANDRA MONDRETRUSTEE

JUDY FRANCIS ZANKELTRUSTEE

KATHERYN P KEMPNERTRUSTEE

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1943
Location: CENTRAL PARK WEST AT 79TH ST, NEW YORK, NY 10024-0000
County: New York
In care of: % ORCHID BARON
Primary officer: Daniel Stoddard, Senior VP CFO & CIO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(212) 769-5130 Officer phone(212) 769-5161

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: GRANT THORNTON ADVISORS LLC
NTEE classification: Arts, Culture & Humanities (A560)
Grant-giving organization: Yes