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Smithsonian Institute

"increase and diffusion of knowledge" is the mission set forth by james smithson.

Arts & Culture Washington, DC EIN: 530206027 (IRS) Sign up to see website
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77
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
77/100 · methodology

About Smithsonian Institute

Plan your visit or explore online the world's largest museum, research, and education complex.

Founded
Headquarters
Washington, DC
Foundation type
Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2))
NTEE code
A50Z
IRS subsection
501(c)(c3)
Ruling date
Size
major

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 1924

Mission

"increase and diffusion of knowledge" is the mission set forth by james smithson.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
Cause tags
SDG alignment The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the global agenda for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity by 2030. We tag each charity to the goals its work advances.

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar arts & culture in United States
Program spending This charity: 76%
Peer average: 77%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 0.06%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 77
Peer average: 90

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for IRS revocation history, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every $1 goes

· FY2024 · IRS 990 (FY2024)
$0.76
Program$0.76
76% to programs beats the Charity Navigator "highly efficient" threshold (75%).

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

GiveRadar's verified records show Smithsonian Institute with a complete profile, cross-referenced across 4 independent sources including the IRS.

  • Established in 1846, it is among the oldest arts & culture charities in the United States GiveRadar tracks. View this cohort
  • By reported annual revenue, it is larger than 99% of the 55,580 arts & culture charities in the United States with financial records on GiveRadar. See the filings
  • It is one of the better-documented arts & culture charities in the United States GiveRadar currently tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. Most of those have little verified data on record yet. View this cohort
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (5 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a donation page
  • third-party accreditation
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • a contact email
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Smithsonian Institute is a registered arts & culture nonprofit based in Washington, DC, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1846 and has been operating for 180 years. Its EIN is 530206027. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 77/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $2.0B in annual revenue. 216 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Smithsonian Institute's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 530206027. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.

Smithsonian Institute has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 77/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 77 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 76% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for arts & culture charities in United States is 90/100.

Smithsonian Institute is located in Washington, DC, United States. The organization was established in 1846 and has been active for 180 years.

Based on official tax filings, Smithsonian Institute has $2.0B in annual revenue. It allocates 76% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 77% for arts & culture charities in United States. Its revenue is significantly above the peer average of $1M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Smithsonian Institute is classified as an Arts & Culture organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). By size, it is categorized as a major organization. It has $2.0B in annual revenue. The organization has 216 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for Smithsonian Institute. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.

According to GiveRadar's records, Smithsonian Institute holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 76% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 77%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

Plan your visit or explore online the world's largest museum, research, and education complex. Smithsonian Institute is classified as an arts & culture organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1846.

Among arts & culture charities registered in United States: It allocates 76% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 77%. Its annual revenue of $2.0B is well above the peer average of $1M.

Yes, donations to Smithsonian Institute are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Its EIN is 530206027, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Annual revenue
$1B+
76% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2024) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021, FY2020.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
7,367

Leadership

From FY2024 filing

RO
Ronald C•••••
Under Secretary For Fin/Admin & CFO

Officers & trustees (25)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

25 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

10 articles found

From news sources and the organization. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

The iconic Smithsonian Castle is reopening next week - Axios
May 2026
www.axios.com
The Smithsonian Zoo’s Off-View Front Royal Campus Is a Sanctuary for Endangered Species - Northern Virginia Magazine
May 2026
northernvirginiamag.com
See photos from one of the Dogwood Arts featured gardens listed with Smithsonian - MSN
Apr 2026
www.msn.com
Smithsonian women’s history museum may be derailed by GOP effort to feature only "biological women" - LGBTQ Nation
Apr 2026
www.lgbtqnation.com
Three ginormous bison have been craned into the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Here’s why - BBC Wildlif
Apr 2026
www.discoverwildlife.com
The Trump Administration’s Clashes With Smithsonian Institute Could Complicate the Hirshhorn’s Future - News of the Unit
Apr 2026
www.notus.org
Timeless French Lick hosting Smithsonian exhibit as part of 250th Celebration - Dubois County Free Press, Inc.
Apr 2026
duboiscountyfreepress.com
Inside the Smithsonian - Moore County Observer
Mar 2026
mcobserver.news
5 Underrated Washington, DC Museums (That Aren't Part Of The Smithsonian), According To A Local - islands.com
Mar 2026
www.islands.com
What is the Smithsonian Castle? DC landmark to reopen for America250 - Delawareonline.com
Mar 2026
www.delawareonline.com
Form filed
$1955.6M revenue
FY2024
IRS 990
Form filed
$1876.5M revenue
FY2023
IRS 990
Form filed
$1856.0M revenue
FY2022
IRS 990
Form filed
$1804.8M revenue
FY2021
IRS 990
Form filed
$1561.6M revenue
FY2020
IRS 990

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Cause areas in United States

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Human Services 322,679
Education 195,586
Arts & Culture this charity 133,128
Advocacy & Civil Rights 128,026
Religion 114,636
Health 98,862
Community Development 56,086
Youth Development 53,450
See all cause areas in United States

Most common causes in United States

Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.

Community Development 235,146
Education 159,016
Religion 103,741
Arts & Culture 101,203
Human Rights 76,926
Health 65,250
Youth Development 47,775
Animal Welfare 32,425

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 216 disclosed in the public registry.
News and media coverage
GDELT Project + Google News
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 12, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 6, 2026
Profile completeness
100%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 10
  • Financial data · FY2024 on record
  • Named leadership · 216 officers on file
  • Executive pay · Disclosed
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Mission statement · Published
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 1846
Not available · 1
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Smithsonian Institute

What is Smithsonian Institute?
Smithsonian Institute is a arts & culture publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Washington, United States. Plan your visit or explore online the world's largest museum, research, and education complex.
When was Smithsonian Institute founded?
Smithsonian Institute was founded in 1846.
Who leads Smithsonian Institute?
Ronald Cortez serves as Under Secretary For Fin/Admin & CFO.
Where is Smithsonian Institute located?
Headquartered in Washington, DC, United States.
What is Smithsonian Institute's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $1B+. 76% of expenses go to program services.
Is Smithsonian Institute trustworthy?
Smithsonian Institute has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 77 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Smithsonian Institute's registration number?
IRS EIN: 530206027.
What is Smithsonian Institute's website?
http://www.si.edu