MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM INC

EIN 39-1723105 · Arts, Culture & Humanities (A500)

What they do

THE MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM INSPIRES CURIOSITY, EXCITES MINDS and INCREASES THE DESIRE to PRESERVE and PROTECT OUR WORLDS NATURAL and CULTURAL DIVERSITY THROUGH EXHIBITIONS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, COLLECTIONS and RESEARCH.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $72.50 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 leaders44 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

81.61%of revenue went to mission work72.5% of expenses · Program services

14.57%of revenue went to fundraising12.9% of expenses

$112.52spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

16.34%of revenue went to management and office costs14.5% of expenses

$0.86in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

65.4%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 $1,637,041 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $251,798 for ELLEN CENSKY (PRESIDENT/CEO). 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$13,076,645

Mission workProgram services$10,671,24081.61% of revenue72.5% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$2,137,19516.34% of revenue14.5% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$1,905,25114.57% of revenue12.9% of expenses

Total expenses$14,713,686112.52% 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: 72.5% mission · 14.5% management · 12.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 112.52% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 71.5% mission · 15.7% management · 12.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 115.03% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 71.7% mission · 14.8% management · 13.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 102.85% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 71.4% mission · 15.2% management · 13.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 90.51% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 75.6% mission · 16.7% management · 7.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 87.54% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 76.9% mission · 15.6% management · 7.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 104.78% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 79.5% mission · 14.0% management · 6.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 104.01% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 80.8% mission · 13.1% management · 6.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 110.62% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$13,076,645

Expenses$14,713,686

Annual shortfall $1,637,041 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)$10,671,240 · 72.5% of expenses

Management and office costs$2,137,195 · 14.5% of expenses

Fundraising$1,905,251 · 12.9% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$13,076,645

Expenses$14,713,686

Assets$12,674,413

Income$14,784,275

Contributions$8,550,001

Mission work (program services)$10,671,240

Fundraising$1,905,251

Grants given$1,608,685

Average grant$804,343

Management and general$2,137,195

Executive compensation (total)$759,635

Stocks and bonds$4,511,559

Accounting fees$76,368

Investing fees$441

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

ELLEN CENSKYPRESIDENT/CEO · 40 hrs/week $251,798Base $233,704 · Other $18,094

JULIE QUINLANSR. VP OF DEVELOPMENT · 40 hrs/week $185,703Base $164,044 · Other $21,659

KATHERINE SANDERS TERMED 525CHIEF PLANNING OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $164,193Base $142,705 · Other $21,488

JENNIFER ZASPELVP ACADEMIC DEAN · 40 hrs/week $163,946Base $153,477 · Other $10,469

STEVE RAYNIERDIRECTOR OF FACILITY OPERATIONS · 40 hrs/week $153,213Base $132,703 · Other $20,510

REBECCA EHLERSVP OF AUDIENCE & COMMUNITY · 40 hrs/week $148,904Base $137,229 · Other $11,675

THOMAS M OBRIENFORMER CFO (TERMED 5/24) $127,921Base $125,796 · Other $2,125

GAIL BOYMCONTROLLER · 40 hrs/week $118,945Base $108,022 · Other $10,923

EMILY BELCHERDIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES · 40 hrs/week $106,628Base $100,687 · Other $5,941

LISA PIEPERDIRECTOR OF INDIVIDUAL GIVING · 40 hrs/week $106,057Base $100,405 · Other $5,652

TOM OECHLERCFO (HIRED 5/24) · 40 hrs/week $92,834Base $86,740 · Other $6,094

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 (44)

ELLEN CENSKYPRESIDENT/CEO

JULIE QUINLANSR. VP OF DEVELOPMENT

KATHERINE SANDERS TERMED 525CHIEF PLANNING OFFICER

JENNIFER ZASPELVP ACADEMIC DEAN

STEVE RAYNIERDIRECTOR OF FACILITY OPERATIONS

REBECCA EHLERSVP OF AUDIENCE & COMMUNITY

THOMAS M OBRIENFORMER CFO (TERMED 5/24)

GAIL BOYMCONTROLLER

EMILY BELCHERDIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

LISA PIEPERDIRECTOR OF INDIVIDUAL GIVING

TOM OECHLERCFO (HIRED 5/24)

PEGGY COAKLEYBOARD MEMBER

MICHAEL MAISTELMANBOARD MEMBER

MICHAEL NGUYENBOARD MEMBER

MICHAEL TATEBOARD MEMBER

MICHAEL VANASTENASSISTANT TREASURER

NIKSA IVANCEVICBOARD MEMBER

PATRICIA YUNKBOARD MEMBER

PATRICIA J HOBENBOARD MEMBER

PATRICK DISTEFANOPAST CHAIR

MARY ELLEN PINDYCKSECRETARY

PETER FEIGINBOARD MEMBER

CHARLES WRIGHT JRVICE CHAIRMAN

BRAD PETERSBOARD MEMBER

THAD NATIONBOARD MEMBER

ANNA RAMIREZ BARITTBOARD MEMBER

TIMOTHY P BYRNEVICE CHAIRMAN

ANGIE IZARDBOARD MEMBER

JASON ALLENBOARD MEMBER

MARION SULLIVANBOARD MEMBER

MARGARETE HARVEYBOARD MEMBER

MARCELIA NICHOLSONBOARD MEMBER

LYNN WARNER BRENGELBOARD MEMBER

CHRISTINE RUNDBLADASSISTANT SECRETARY

KRISTEN HARDYBOARD MEMBER

KHALAF KHALAFBOARD MEMBER

CHRISTY JAGDFELDBOARD MEMBER

JUSTIN STEINBERGBOARD MEMBER

GAIL YABUKIBOARD MEMBER

JOSHUA ERICKSONTREASURER

JOHN ROBERTSCHAIRMAN

JOEL PLANTBOARD MEMBER

JEROME WEISSBOARD MEMBER

IVAN GAMBOABOARD MEMBER

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1992
Location: 800 W WELLS ST, MILWAUKEE, WI 53233-1404
County: Milwaukee
In care of: % MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM INC
Primary officer: TOM OECHLER, CFO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(414) 278-6939

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: September 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: BAKER TILLY ADVISORY GROUP LP
NTEE classification: Arts, Culture & Humanities (A500)
IRS tax category: Museums
Grant-giving organization: Yes