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The Exploratorium
The Exploratorium reported $64.0 million in revenue and $67.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $76.56 went to program services, $18.25 to management and general costs and $5.19 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 46.7% of the total. Government grants made up 5.7%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $770,994 (EXEC DIRECTOR). 112 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 32% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $68MFor 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 June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $64MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 76.6% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 18.2% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.2% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.13 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 43.2% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 5.7% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 46.7% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $770,994 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.14% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 112 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 43.3 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 33 of 33 | 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 expenseMuseum and visitor experience:we're an r&d laboratory that experiments with cutting-edge ideas. We create, experiment, test, and build nearly everything at the exploratorium ourselves, always looking for the most interesting and important ideas to pursue, often pushing the limits of what's possible. In this sense, we're a classic research-and-development organization, constantly creating new activities, websites, events, artworks, exhibits, and more
Global collaborations:we learn and share with partners worldwide. By drawing on the exploratorium's broad expertise, global collaborations is able to provide a comprehensive set of creative services from master planning to program development to exhibit fabrication and installation. We like to be as far upstream in our clients' creative process as possible, exploring the rich questions that lead to truly authentic, innovative problem solving
Educator engagement:we're at the forefront of science education. By making science visible, touchable, and accessible to a wide variety of people at the museum, online, and in the classroom, our explore-for-yourself way of learning and teaching influences science education worldwide. Our professional development programs provide educators with the skills, tools, and support they need to apply inquiry-based learning and teaching in their classes. We also design programs that make connections between the traditionally separate worlds of formal (school) and informal (museum) education and…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXEC DIRECTOR Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $744,010 | $0 | $26,984 | $770,994 |
| CHIEF LEARNING OFFICER Key employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $355,605 | $0 | $17,296 | $372,901 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (THRU 6/30/2025) Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $328,417 | $0 | $32,114 | $360,531 |
| CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $296,384 | $0 | $22,831 | $319,215 |
| CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER Key employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $282,663 | $0 | $25,282 | $307,945 |
| CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER Key employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $240,149 | $0 | $49,744 | $289,893 |
| CHIEF BRAND OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $246,545 | $0 | $24,278 | $270,823 |
| CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $237,632 | $0 | $24,351 | $261,983 |
112 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Exploratorium (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $3.2M (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–1b33 · 33 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 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5724
- Volunteers Part I, line 6175
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| POWER ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION CO Construction service | $2,406,980 |
| FOSTER PARTNERS LIMITED Architecture service | $1,000,000 |
| SECURITAS SECURITY SVCS USA Security service | $767,610 |
| DALBERG CONSULTING US LLC Strategy consulting service | $672,729 |
| SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE Advertising | $556,597 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 37 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from The Exploratorium's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Exploratorium, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Exploratorium spent in FY2025, $76.56 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur MuseumWinterthur, DE · revenue $64M · programs 76.7% · FY2025
- Philadelphia Orchestra AssociationPhiladelphia, PA · revenue $65M · programs 73.9% · FY2025
- Chautauqua InstitutionChautauqua, NY · revenue $63M · programs 73.9% · 2024
- The Eames InstitutePetaluma, CA · revenue $65M · programs 81.6% · 2024
- Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing ArtsVienna, VA · revenue $63M · programs 85.3% · 2024
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of The Exploratorium's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, The Exploratorium reported that 76.6% of its $67.8 million in expenses went to program services, 18.2% to management and general and 5.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Exploratorium pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Exploratorium reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $770,994, for the role of EXEC DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Exploratorium get its money?
Of $64.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 43.2% came from contributions and grants (including 5.7% from government grants) and 46.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Exploratorium a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 94-1696494 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 June 30, 2025, object 202621289349303632 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202501329349306555 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202431209349300128 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202331289349303498 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202220989349301707 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202120919349300917 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 94-1696494: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.