Houston Museum of Natural Science
73% goes to programs $34 to raise $100 Strong reserves Declining revenue
Houston Museum of Natural Science is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Houston, Texas, registered in 1948, with $48,430,467 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 73% of spending to programs.
5555 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX, 77030 EIN 74-1036131 Since 1948
Revenue (FY2024)
$48.4M
▼ 41.0% vs prior year
Arts & Culture median: $159K
Expenses (FY2024)
$49.8M
Net assets
$254.5M
Employees
944
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
B+Program efficiency40% of the rating73% to programs · $34 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Houston Museum of Natural Science: 73% to programs · $34 to raise $100 earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating61 mo reserves · -3% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Houston Museum of Natural Science: 61 mo reserves · -3% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Houston Museum of Natural Science: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Houston Museum of Natural Science: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
The houston museum of natural science (hmns) serves as a valuable resources for the houston community, offering extensive collections, exciting interactive exhibits, immersive environments, engaging films, compelling traveling exhibitions, and comprehensive classroom experiences.
What they do
The museum's educational efforts are aimed at children and adults alike. through hands-on interactive opportunities such as summer camps, field trips, outreach programming, teacher trainings, lecture series, and curator-led travel opportunities the museum seeks to provide an inspirational learning environment that promotes scientific inquiry as a mode of thinking and engages the public in the wonders of science.
Contact & location
- Address
- 5555 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX, 77030
- City
- Houston
- State
- Texas
- Category
- Arts, Culture & Humanities
- Subcategory
- Museums
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $33.2M (FY2013) to $48.4M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $44.9MNet assets $254.5M
Operating margin
-2.9%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$299.4M
Total liabilities
$44.9M
Net assets
$254.5M
Salaries & benefits
$24.1M
48% of expenses
Board members
52
51 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $48,430,467▼41.0% | $49,814,036▼24.5% | $254,480,682▲1.0% | $299,395,170▼2.9% | 990 |
| 2023 | $82,073,962▲77.6% | $65,965,222▲58.6% | $251,972,912▲8.4% | $308,228,843▲11.1% | 990 |
| 2022 | $46,224,188▼35.4% | $41,601,808▼17.2% | $232,403,763▼1.7% | $277,531,961▼3.0% | 990 |
| 2021 | $71,596,152▲32.4% | $50,263,772▼10.5% | $236,530,951▲13.4% | $286,089,247▲17.5% | 990 |
| 2020 | $54,084,906▲4.9% | $56,183,508▲54.7% | $208,496,174▼1.5% | $243,476,932▼0.4% | 990 |
| 2019 | $51,565,168▲24.9% | $36,306,338▼22.3% | $211,644,737▲12.5% | $244,558,701▲12.5% | 990 |
| 2018 | $41,271,537▲13.1% | $46,732,565▲31.9% | $188,178,716▼4.3% | $217,371,444▼4.2% | 990 |
| 2017 | $36,500,182▼0.4% | $35,434,393▲28.0% | $196,689,005▲3.7% | $226,806,815▲5.3% | 990 |
| 2016 | $36,643,183▼8.5% | $27,686,733▼5.1% | $189,657,774▲6.9% | $215,371,800▲11.0% | 990 |
| 2015 | $40,037,733▼11.2% | $29,177,892▲11.3% | $177,367,348▲3.0% | $193,954,324▲3.3% | 990 |
| 2014 | $45,077,827▲35.6% | $26,218,565▲9.2% | $172,133,841▲12.3% | $187,806,931▲8.7% | 990 |
| 2013 | $33,233,793 | $24,002,517▼10.0% | $153,239,602▲10.9% | $172,700,536▲4.6% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $26,669,889▲31.5% | $138,204,312▲8.9% | $165,111,268▲6.3% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $20,283,723▼15.3% | $126,891,548▲0.2% | $155,321,556▲5.0% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $23,939,947 | $126,639,063 | $147,859,087 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Joel A Bartsch — $726,197 (1.46% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joel A Bartsch | President | 40 | $726,197 |
| Eugenia K Dermas | Chief Development Officer | 40 | $550,875 |
| Jill M Lee | Chief Financial Officer | 40 | $409,084 |
| Erin Blatzer | Svp, Budgeting | 40 | $259,098 |
| Angel Deleon | Svp, Hr/bldg Operations | 40 | $250,573 |
| Latha Thomas | Svp, Marketing | 40 | $230,000 |
| Lisa Rebori | Svp, Collection/exhibit | 40 | $227,262 |
| Mark Belcher | Director of It | 40 | $213,306 |
| Melodie Wade | Svp, Digital Marketing | 40 | $179,175 |
| Nicholaus Gaytan | Controller | 40 | $176,391 |
| Victor Ticas | Dir. Exhibit Prod. | 40 | $169,738 |
| Oscar Ruiz | Vp, Museum Facilities | 40 | $161,554 |
| Nicole Temple | Vp, Education | 40 | $151,462 |
| Alfred C Glassell III | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Al Walker | Imm. Past Chair | 6 | — |
| Anne Hamman Brollier | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Brady F Carruth | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Carolyn Davis | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Carroll R Ray | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Christopher Stavros | Trustee | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Sixtyfour Design LLC | Website Design, Exhibit Interactives | $982,654 |
| Paul Bernhard Exhibit Design & Consultin | Exhibition Hall Design and Construction | $768,000 |
| Hines Interests Limited Partnership | Project Management | $745,621 |
| Innovative Environments | Creating Branded Spaces and Exhibits | $552,989 |
| Elevator Repair Service | Repairs and Maintenance | $372,584 |
Grants received · $13.3M total
180 grants to Houston Museum of Natural Science totaling $13.3M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Houston Community Foundation | Arts | 2024 | $456,000 |
| National Christian Charitable Foundation | Arts and humanities | 2024 | $160,000 |
| Ayco Charitable Foundation | Arts and culture | 2024 | $71,000 |
| Christian Community Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $25,000 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Arts and culture | 2024 | $15,500 |
| Tulsa Community Foundation | General operations | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Greater Houston Community Foundation | Arts | 2023 | $454,550 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $255,375 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $54,712 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2023 | $49,900 |
| Ayco Charitable Foundation | Arts and culture | 2023 | $48,000 |
| National Christian Charitable Foundation | Culture | 2023 | $45,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Arts, culture & humanities | 2023 | $36,670 |
| American Museum of Natural History | Collab research | 2023 | $31,060 |
| Methodist Hospital Group | Sponsorship | 2023 | $20,000 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Houston Museum of Natural Science a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Houston Museum of Natural Science is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 74-1036131, based in Houston, Texas. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Houston Museum of Natural Science's EIN?
- Houston Museum of Natural Science's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 74-1036131.
- How much revenue does Houston Museum of Natural Science report?
- Houston Museum of Natural Science reported $48,430,467 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Houston Museum of Natural Science's spending goes to programs?
- Houston Museum of Natural Science spends about 73% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Houston Museum of Natural Science have?
- CharityIndex grades Houston Museum of Natural Science A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Houston Museum of Natural Science's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Houston Museum of Natural Science's latest Form 990 is $726,197, paid to Joel A Bartsch (President).
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Data for Houston Museum of Natural Science (EIN 74-1036131) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.