The Exploratorium
THE EXPLORATORIUM IS A PUBLIC LEARNING LABORATORY EXPLORING THE WORLD THROUGH SCIENCE, ART, AND HUMAN PERCEPTION. OUR MISSION IS TO CREATE INQUIRY-BASED EXPERIENCES THAT TRANSFORM LEARNING WORLDWIDE.
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Visit www.exploratorium.eduAbout The Exploratorium
The Exploratorium is a arts culture organization based in SAN FRANCISCO, United States. Annual revenue: $48.0 million. EIN: 941696494.
Verified certifications
Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.
Mission
The exploratorium is a public learning laboratory exploring the world through science, art, and human perception. Our mission is to create inquiry-based experiences that transform learning worldwide.
Focus areas & reach
· What they work on and whereHow it stacks up against peers
· vs. 4 similar arts & culture in United StatesConcerns
· None foundWhere every $1 goes
· FY2024 · IRS 990 (FY2024)GiveRadar Analysis
Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations
Based on the records currently verified by GiveRadar, The Exploratorium has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 3 independent sources including the IRS.
- By reported annual revenue, it is larger than 98% of the 55,580 arts & culture charities in the United States with financial records on GiveRadar. See the filings
- Established in 1968, it predates 83% of the arts & culture charities in the United States GiveRadar has a founding year for. View this cohort
- GiveRadar has verified more about this organization than about 87% of the 133,127 arts & culture charities in the United States it tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. Most of those have little verified data on record yet. View this cohort
- government registration
- financial records (5 filed years)
- disclosed leadership
- a website
- third-party accreditation
- a contact email
- a donation page
- 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 + methodologyThe Exploratorium is a registered arts & culture nonprofit based in San Francisco, CA, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1968 and has been operating for 58 years. Its EIN is 941696494. 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 $67M in annual revenue. 163 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.
The Exploratorium's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 941696494. 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.
The Exploratorium 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 78% 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.
The Exploratorium is located in San Francisco, CA, United States. The organization was established in 1968 and has been active for 58 years. Its registered address is Pier 17 Suite 100, United States.
Based on official tax filings, The Exploratorium has $67M in annual revenue. It allocates 78% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 78% 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.
The Exploratorium 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 large organization. It has $67M in annual revenue. The organization has 163 disclosed officers and directors.
No red flags have been detected for The Exploratorium. 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, The Exploratorium 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 78% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 78%). 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.
The Exploratorium is a arts culture organization based in SAN FRANCISCO, United States. Annual revenue: $48.0 million. EIN: 941696494. The Exploratorium is classified as an arts & culture organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1968.
Among arts & culture charities registered in United States: It allocates 78% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 78%. Its annual revenue of $67M is well above the peer average of $1M.
Yes, donations to The Exploratorium are generally tax-deductible in the United States. The Exploratorium is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 941696494, 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.
Filing history
5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.
See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.
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Tax-deductibility for donors
Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.
THE EXPLORATORIUM is registered in United States. Donations from the Netherlands to charities outside the EU/EEA are generally not tax-deductible for Dutch donors unless the charity is listed on the Dutch ANBI register with foreign-recognized status.
Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.
Staff & volunteers
From filings and published profiles
Leadership
From FY2024 filing
Officers & trustees (25)
Source: Public filings
25 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.
Latest news
From global news sources
No recent news coverage found
News coverage will appear here when articles mention this organization.
Activity timeline
Filings and press mentions, merged
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Sign up to write a reviewCause areas in United States
How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.
Most common causes in United States
Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.
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 - 163 disclosed in the public registry.
- Supplementary verification
- Charity Navigator
Data freshness
What we know and don't know
Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.
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Financial data · FY2024 on record
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Named leadership · 163 officers on file
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Executive pay · Disclosed
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Government registration · Registered with an official registry
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Mission statement · Published
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Official website · On record
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Headquarters address · On file
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Direct contact · Email or phone published
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Tax-deductibility · Verified
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Founding date · 1968
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Programs & activitiesNo 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.
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Quick facts about The Exploratorium
- What is The Exploratorium?
- The Exploratorium is a arts & culture publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in San Francisco, United States. The Exploratorium is a arts culture organization based in SAN FRANCISCO, United States. Annual revenue: $48.0 million. EIN: 941696494.
- When was The Exploratorium founded?
- The Exploratorium was founded in 1968.
- Who leads The Exploratorium?
- Laura Zander serves as CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
- Where is The Exploratorium located?
- Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, United States.
- What is The Exploratorium's annual budget?
- Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $10M-$100M. 78% of expenses go to program services.
- Is The Exploratorium trustworthy?
- The Exploratorium 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 The Exploratorium's registration number?
- IRS EIN: 941696494.
- What is The Exploratorium's website?
- https://www.exploratorium.edu