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Cox Science Center and Aquarium
Cox Science Center and Aquarium reported $35.3 million in revenue and $8.3 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $66.17 went to program services, $27.26 to management and general costs and $6.57 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 86.4% of the total. Government grants made up 14.0%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $245,289 (President/CEO (until 4/2025)). 4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 769% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $8.3MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $35M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$71.80 $26M
- Government grants$13.87 $4.9M
- Program service revenue$7.76 $2.8M
- Investment income$6.57 $2.3M
Other revenue was negative: −$293K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 66.2% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 27.3% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.6% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.02 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 86.4% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 14.0% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 7.8% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $245,289 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.94% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 158.4 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 27 of 27 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseThe Science Center welcomed more than 188,000 visitors last year. The Center features more than 100 interactive exhibits, an immersive fresh and saltwater aquarium, full-dome planetarium, the world's most advanced exhibit on the human brain, and an outdoor science-themed trail
The Center served over 150,000 students through outreach education, in-house field trips and family programs and over 12,000 of these students are served through its award-winning STEM night programs in the schools. Our main target for educational grant programming is Palm Beach County School District Title 1 students from Kindergarten through 8th grade. The School District is the 10th largest in the nation and almost 45% of the students participating come from under-served communities through grant programming initiatives under a district-wide agreement. The partnership focuses on…
Provided guest services, a museum store, planetarium, observatory, and memberships to enhance the visitor's experience. Hosted science-themed community events regularly, including adult lectures, afterschool clubs, robotics teams, G.E.M.S. Club (Girls in Engineering Math & Science), and laser concerts
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President/CEO (until 4/2025) Former, 40.00 hrs/week | $229,427 | $0 | $15,862 | $245,289 |
| COO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $156,685 | $0 | $10,551 | $167,236 |
| VP Aquarium Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $143,464 | $0 | $12,684 | $156,148 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $114,797 | $0 | $11,400 | $126,197 |
4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Cox Science Center and Aquarium (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $536K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b27 · 27 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5142
- Volunteers Part I, line 6167
Private foundation grants it received
47 private foundations reported grants to Cox Science Center and Aquarium totaling $2.3M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Cox Science Center and Aquarium's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Cox Science Center and Aquarium, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Cox Science Center and Aquarium spent in FY2025, $66.17 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of Cox Science Center and Aquarium's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Cox Science Center and Aquarium reported that 66.2% of its $8.3 million in expenses went to program services, 27.3% to management and general and 6.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Cox Science Center and Aquarium pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Cox Science Center and Aquarium reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $245,289, for the role of President/CEO (until 4/2025) (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Cox Science Center and Aquarium get its money?
Of $35.3 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 86.4% came from contributions and grants (including 14.0% from government grants) and 7.8% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Cox Science Center and Aquarium a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 59-0915177 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, object 202631859349300303 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202511559349301526 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202401429349301320 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202331939349301868 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202241479349300344 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202101349349304155 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 59-0915177: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.