Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science Inc is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Miami, Florida, registered in 1950, with $22,775,015 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it C+, and it directs about 83% of spending to programs.
Revenue (FY2023)
$22.8M
▼ 19.7% vs prior year
Arts & Culture median: $159K
Expenses (FY2023)
$32.9M
Net assets
$191.3M
Employees
295
Rated on 4 of 4 criteria.
Held down by its weakest criterion — a strong score on one criterion can't hide a weak one.
How the rating works →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 Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science Inc: 83% to programs · $39 to raise $100 earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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 Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science Inc: 70 mo reserves · -45% margin earns a D on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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 Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science Inc: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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 Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science Inc: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Frost science inspires and connects people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy science and technology, and to better understand ourselves and our world.
Educational programs and outreach - see schedule oeducational programs and outreachthe museum offers rigorous and diverse education programs, both at the museum and out in the local community. we welcome more than 75,000 schoolchildren each year, helping to inspire the next generation to achieve their full potential in the fields of science. the museum has redefined the role museums play in strengthening science learning and has received national recognition for our educational programs. the museum's educational programs focus on six main areas: youth development, learning research, family engagement, increasing accessibility, educator professional development and innovative technologies. our education team collaborates with researchers, leading experts, and evaluators to identify the best ways to access and educate underserved and underrepresented groups, then disseminate those strategies nationwide for larger impact whenever possible.
Exhibitions and public engagement - see schedule oexhibitions and public engagementworld-class permanent exhibitions on display in 2024 include feathers to the stars, an exhibit that carries visitors through the amazing story of how ancient evolution gave birth to animal flight, how humans used imagination and engineering to get airborne and how outer space is the next frontier; mela?, an exhibition that focuses on health and wellbeing - including health labs, where visitors can step into the shows of a health scientist and conduct experiments; river of grass, which takes young explorers inside one of the most precious ecosystems on the planet, the everglades; and the dig, where visitors can go back in time to explore the diversity, adaptation and extinction of prehistoric animals. the frost planetarium uses 16 million color 8k projection to feature educational films rich in content that take visitors on visual joyrides that both thrill and educate. in addition to its permanent exhibits, the museum hosts several renowned traveling exhibitions each year.
Ancillary services - retailthe museum began operates an onsite retail store, providing products that align with its mission to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy science and technology. with over 2,000 unique items, the store offers a diverse selection of science tools and toys, books, apparel & accessories, plush, and unique exhibition-related gifts - all with an emphasis on stem and education. the museum also partners with women-owned, minority-owned, and local businesses to bring product lines that are sustainable, fair-trade, or were produced using net zero carbon emissions.other programmatic activitiesthe museum performs a number of other programmatic activities, which include field trips and group visits, private events, production costs of science-based lectures, panels and screenings, targeted advertising, newsletters and more.
Revenue declined from $71.8M (FY2013) to $22.8M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Operating margin
-44.5%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$196.6M
Total liabilities
$5.3M
Net assets
$191.3M
Salaries & benefits
$11.7M
36% of expenses
Board members
23
23 independent
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $22,775,015▼19.7% | $32,917,683▼6.5% | $191,293,068▼5.0% | $196,604,870▼4.7% | 990 |
| 2022 | $28,357,016▲31.5% | $35,209,334▲20.7% | $201,435,736▼3.3% | $206,356,213▼7.7% | 990 |
| 2021 | $21,571,073▼0.8% | $29,171,431▲8.0% | $208,288,054▼3.5% | $223,553,087▼8.1% | 990 |
| 2020 | $21,735,134▲57.6% | $27,003,867▼3.2% | $215,888,412▼2.4% | $243,382,615▼3.1% | 990 |
| 2019 | $13,791,602▼30.4% | $27,902,313▼13.7% | $221,157,145▼6.0% | $251,199,670▼5.9% | 990 |
| 2018 | $19,801,491▼14.4% | $32,319,994▼11.5% | $235,267,856▼5.1% | $266,941,215▼6.2% | 990 |
| 2017 | $23,136,055▼50.4% | $36,520,013▲23.2% | $247,961,359▼5.1% | $284,546,245▼6.2% | 990 |
| 2016 | $46,677,191▼9.2% | $29,653,394▲99.3% | $261,345,317▲7.9% | $303,449,710▲7.9% | 990 |
| 2015 | $51,418,045▼13.8% | $14,879,036▼6.2% | $242,272,415▲17.8% | $281,329,560▲28.2% | 990 |
| 2014 | $59,617,066▼17.0% | $15,862,395▼12.2% | $205,729,556▲27.0% | $219,433,553▲24.9% | 990 |
| 2013 | $71,844,998 | $18,073,946▲66.7% | $161,978,735▲49.7% | $175,673,830▲44.8% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $10,840,308▲16.6% | $108,216,257▲52.6% | $121,329,160▲53.6% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $9,295,685▲10.9% | $70,893,524▲34.0% | $78,991,142▲36.4% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $8,379,409▲22.5% | $52,911,786▲92.5% | $57,892,974▲74.0% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $6,841,579 | $27,480,512 | $33,269,069 | 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.
Highest-paid: Frank Steslow — $486,779 (1.48% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Steslow | President & Ceo | 40 | $486,779 |
| George Powers | Coo | 40 | $273,018 |
| Amy Gillette | Cfo | 40 | $253,118 |
| Douglas Roberts | President & Ceo | 40 | $249,050 |
| Steven Bailey | Vp of Biological Program | 40 | $215,130 |
| Joseph Quinones | Vp of External Affairs | 40 | $183,467 |
| Brooks Weisblat | Vp of Technology | 40 | $165,036 |
| Nathalie Taureau | Vp of Revenue & Strategy | 40 | $149,591 |
| Ross Chuchla | Vp of Finance | 40 | $149,490 |
| Helen Mcguire | Vp of Exhibition Design & Development | 40 | $137,542 |
| Shaleen Godfrey | Vp of Guest Experience & Security | 40 | $125,622 |
| Donald Uricchio | Sr Director & Living Exhibitions | 40 | $110,176 |
| Carladenise Edwards | Director | 3 | — |
| Cesar L Alvarez | Chair | 5 | — |
| Commissioner Damian Pardo | Director | 1 | — |
| Commissioner Keon Hardemon | Director | 3 | — |
| Dr Ioannis Miaoulis | Director | 1 | — |
| Dr Matthew Denesuk | Director | 1 | — |
| Dr Richard Kurin | Director | 1 | — |
| Jeffrey Applebaum | Director | 1 | — |
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Pritchard Sports & Entertainment Group | Housekeeping Services | $842,984 |
| Outfront Media LLC | Advertising | $353,218 |
| A&a Group | Advertising | $312,941 |
| Musuem of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa | Exhibit Rental Fees | $305,000 |
| Crabby Badger Studios LLC | Exhibit Fabrication | $259,631 |
87 grants to Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science Inc totaling $46.3M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Way Miami Inc | General support | 2024 | $262,500 |
| Mightycause Charitable Foundation | Unrestricted | 2024 | $12,589 |
| Paypal Charitable Giving Fund | General support | 2024 | $5,450 |
| United Way Miami Inc | General support | 2023 | $269,723 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2023 | $105,000 |
| University of Miami | Research | 2023 | $27,999 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Public, societal benefit | 2023 | $25,000 |
| National Fish and Wildlife Foundation | Habitat restoration throughout miami-dade county | 2023 | $23,331 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $12,834 |
| Paypal Charitable Giving Fund | — | 2023 | $6,715 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Arts, culture & humanities | 2023 | $5,500 |
| Greater Miami Jewish Federation | General support | 2022 | $10,000,000 |
| United Way Miami Inc | General support | 2022 | $262,500 |
| University of Miami | Research | 2022 | $87,488 |
| National Fish and Wildlife Foundation | Habitat restoration | 2022 | $61,843 |
1 grant totaling $35K in FY2023. All grants made by Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science Inc →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Miami | Upward bound subaward | $34,797 |
Explore more
Data for Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science Inc (EIN 59-0854960) 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.