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Nonprofit · EIN 94-1696494

THE EXPLORATORIUM

Tax-exempt · SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111

Financials

$61M$64.8M2022$66.6M$66M2023$64M$67.8M2024
Revenue Expenses · by fiscal year end
Financials of THE EXPLORATORIUM by year, from its e-filed returns
Year endedFormRevenueExpensesNet incomeTotal assetsLiabilitiesNet assets
June 30, 2025990$63,991,919$67,798,808-$3,806,889$292,041,625$47,313,039$244,728,586
June 30, 2024990$66,629,029$65,980,256$648,773$293,014,681$50,041,593$242,973,088
June 30, 2023990$61,024,177$64,760,247-$3,736,070$284,732,614$48,867,190$235,865,424
Financial details: 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025

Revenue

Contributions, gifts and grants
$27,618,230
of which government grants
$3,643,647
Program service revenue
$29,866,618
Investment income
$4,092,353
Net rental income
$2,119,074
Net gain from sales of assets
$2,489,104
Net income from fundraising events
-$510,872
Net income from sales of inventory
$806,516
Other revenue
$2,414,718

Expenses

Grants and similar amounts paid
$29,357
Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
$3,224,320
Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
$45,465,147
Professional fundraising fees
$0
Occupancy
$3,637,904
Travel
$783,580
Depreciation
$4,639,892
Program services (functional)
$51,907,282
Management and general (functional)
$12,372,029
Fundraising (functional)
$3,519,497

Balance sheet and other

Total assets, start of year
$293,014,681
Total assets, end of year
$292,041,625
Total liabilities, end of year
$47,313,039
Net assets, end of year
$244,728,586
Land, buildings and equipment
$158,804,474
Publicly traded securities
$74,793,896
Net assets without donor restrictions
$130,641,819
Net assets with donor restrictions
$114,086,767
Gross unrelated business income
$60,775
Gross receipts
$101,246,098
Employees
724
Volunteers
175
Year formed
1968
State of legal domicile
CA

From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.

Officers, directors and key employees

As listed on the 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025, highest compensation first.

NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
MARK BIERMANEXEC DIRECTOR
Officer
37.5$744,010$26,984
ROBERT SEMPERCHIEF LEARNING OFFICER
Key employee
37.5$355,605$17,296
LAURA ZANDERCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (THRU 6/30/2025)
Officer
37.5$328,417$32,114
ANNE RICHARDSONCHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER
Highest-paid employee
37.5$296,384$22,831
BLAIR WINNCHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER
Key employee
37.5$282,663$25,282
JASON PACELYCHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER
Key employee
37.5$240,149$49,744
JULIE NUNNCHIEF BRAND OFFICER
Highest-paid employee
37.5$246,545$24,278
ANNE HOLMESCHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER
Highest-paid employee
37.5$237,632$24,351
THOMAS ROCKWELLCHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER
Highest-paid employee
22.5$178,365$44,787
JULIE YUPRINCIPAL SCIENTIST
Highest-paid employee
37.5$195,237$23,598
WILLIAM BILL F MELLINCHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
MARTHA EHMANN CONTEVICE-CHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
SHARON FLANAGANSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
KEVIN FOSTERTREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
RAVIN AGRAWALDIRECTOR (THRU 12/31/2024)
Trustee or director
2$0$0
34 more people on this return
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
GENO ARMSTRONGDIRECTOR (THRU 4/1/2025)
Trustee or director
2$0
DARREN BECHTELDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
GARY BENGIERDIRECTOR (THRU 12/31/2024)
Trustee or director
2$0
LAMAR BUNTSDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
JASON CHENGDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
GEORGE W COGANDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
W BREWSTER ELYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
CHRIS FOSTERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
LYNN C FRITZDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
JOSIE HASPELDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
JONATHAN HEILIGERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
FRANCES HELLMANDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
GREGORY HUNTERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
MIMI ITODIRECTOR (THRU 10/29/2024)
Trustee or director
2$0
MICHAEL R JACOBSONDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
JAMES JONESDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
ROBERTA KATZDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
MARTIN LAUBERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
PHIL MARINEAUDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
ALISON MAUZEDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
MARY HOPE MH MCQUISTONDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
KENNETH G MOOREDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
REMY NTSHAYKOLODIRECTOR (THRU 12/31/2024)
Trustee or director
2$0
SAUL PERLMUTTERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
CAMERON PHLEGERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
ALBERT BERT RICHARDSDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
VIJAY SHRIRAMDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
CRAIG SILVERSTEINDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
RACHEL SKIFFERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
E PAYSON SKIP SMITHDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
REMY WILKINSONDIRECTOR (THRU 8/11/2024)
Trustee or director
2$0
ESTHER WOJCICKIDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
JENNIFER VAN NATTADIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
DAN YUEDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
990 for the year ended June 30, 2024: 50 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
MARK BIERMANEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Officer
37.5$583,952$25,058
PHOEBE WHITECHIEF OPERATING OFC. (THRU 9/22/23)
Key employee
37.5$344,719$10,416
ROBERT SEMPERCHIEF LEARNING OFFICER
Key employee
37.5$314,320$16,844
LAURA ZANDERCHIEF FINANCIAL & OPERATING OFFICER
Officer
37.5$286,820$37,493
BLAIR WINNCHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER
Key employee
37.5$257,640$23,118
JULIE NUNNCHIEF BRAND OFFICER
Highest-paid employee
37.5$216,235$21,545
ANNE RICHARDSONCHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER
Highest-paid employee
37.5$215,636$16,672
JASON PACELYCHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER
Highest-paid employee
37.5$209,277$22,896
THOMAS ROCKWELLCHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER
Highest-paid employee
37.5$183,092$29,019
ANNE HOLMESCHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER
Highest-paid employee
37.5$181,139$19,299
WILLIAM BILL F MELLINCHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
MARTHA EHMANN CONTEVICE-CHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
IRVENIA WATERSVICE-CHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
SHARON FLANAGANSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
LAMAR BUNTSTREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
RAVIN AGRAWALDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
GENO ARMSTRONGDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
DARREN BECHTELDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
GARY BENGIERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
GEORGE W COGANDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
W BREWSTER ELYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
CHRIS FOSTERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
KEVIN FOSTERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
LYNN C FRITZDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
JONATHAN HEILIGERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
FRANCES HELLMANDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
F SCOTT HINDESDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
GREGORY HUNTERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
MIMI ITODIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
MICHAEL R JACOBSONDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
JAMES JONESDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
ROBERTA KATZDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
MARTIN LAUBERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
PHIL MARINEAUDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
ALISON MAUZEDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
MARY HOPE MH MCQUISTONDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
KENNETH G MOOREDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
REMY NTSHAYKOLODIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
SAUL PERLMUTTERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
CAMERON PHLEGERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
VINCENT L RICCIDIRECTOR (THRU 12/12/23)
Trustee or director
2$0$0
ALBERT BERT RICHARDSDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
VIJAY SHRIRAMDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
CRAIG SILVERSTEINDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
RACHEL SKIFFERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
E PAYSON SKIP SMITHDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
JENNIFER VAN NATTADIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
REMY WILKINSONDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
ESTHER WOJCICKIDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
DAN YUEDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
990 for the year ended June 30, 2023: 56 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
MARK BIERMANEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Officer
37.5$511,137$5,469
LAURA ZANDERCHIEF FINANCIAL & OPERATING OFFICER
Officer
37.5$305,738$38,775
ROBERT SEMPERCHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER
Key employee
37.5$302,784$16,266
PHOEBE WHITEMANAGING DIRECTOR
Key employee
37.5$281,012$14,088
THOMAS ROCKWELLSR. CREATIVE DIR. OF GLBL COLLABS
Highest-paid employee
37.5$241,439$31,065
BLAIR WINNSR. DIR. OF INST. ADVANCEMENT
Key employee
37.5$246,443$22,107
JULIE NUNNDIR. OF SALES & MARKETING
Highest-paid employee
37.5$186,119$19,529
JESSICA PARKERSR. DIR. OF EDUC ENGAGEMENT
Highest-paid employee
37.5$167,900$23,873
ANNE RICHARDSONSR. DIR. OF GLOBAL COLLABS
Highest-paid employee
37.5$144,334$24,392
ANNE HOLMESSR. DIR. OF SCIENCE ARTS & RSRCH
Highest-paid employee
37.5$147,792$20,069
CHRIS FLINKFORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Former
0$16,371$1,634
WILLIAM BILL F MELLINCHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
MARTHA EHMANN CONTEVICE-CHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
ROBERTA KATZVICE-CHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
SHARON FLANAGANSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
LAMAR BUNTSTREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
RAVIN AGRAWALDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
GENO ARMSTRONGDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
DARREN BECHTELDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
GARY BENGIERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
LINDSAY BIERMANDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
GEORGE W COGANDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
W BREWSTER ELYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
CHRIS FOSTERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
KEVIN FOSTERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
LYNN C FRITZDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
JONATHAN HEILIGERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
FRANCES HELLMANDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
F SCOTT HINDESDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
GREGORY HUNTERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
MIMI ITODIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
MICHAEL R JACOBSONDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
JAMES JONESDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
MARTIN LAUBERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
PHIL MARINEAUDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
ALISON MAUZEDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
MARY HOPE MH MCQUISTONDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
KENNETH G MOOREDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
REMY NTSHAYKOLODIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
SAUL PERLMUTTERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
CAMERON PHLEGERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
VINCENT L RICCIDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
ALBERT BERT RICHARDSDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
VIJAY SHRIRAMDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
CRAIG SILVERSTEINDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
RACHEL SKIFFERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
E PAYSON SKIP SMITHDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
JENNIFER VAN NATTADIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
IRVENIA WATERSDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
REMY WILKINSONDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
DAN YUEDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
ESTHER WOJCICKIDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0$0
ANTHONY TONY F EARLEY JRDIRECTOR (THRU 3/23)
Trustee or director
2$0$0
BARBARA A CARBONEDIRECTOR (THRU 6/23)
Trustee or director
2$0$0
MICKEY HARTDIRECTOR (THRU 6/23)
Trustee or director
2$0$0
AARON VERMUTDIRECTOR (THRU 6/23)
Trustee or director
2$0$0

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)
PIER 17 SUITE 100, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111-0000
In care of
% LAURA ZANDER
Principal officer (990 for 2024)
MARK BIERMAN, 17 PIER 100, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 941111455
Signed the 990
MELANIE TWARDZICKI, ACTING CHEIF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Phone
(415) 528-4444
Return prepared by
RSM US LLP

California records

California keeps its own records of charities and corporations. Search them by EIN 94-1696494 or by the name THE EXPLORATORIUM.

Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers
Registration status and filed reports (CT-TR-1, RRF-1)

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.

990 for the year ended June 30, 2025

Program accomplishments

  • MUSEUM 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.
    Expenses $34,141,791 · revenue $11,645,149
  • 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.
    Expenses $7,502,446 · revenue $12,250,790
  • 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 UNDERSTANDING.
    Expenses $10,263,045 · grants $29,357 · revenue $6,701,072

What it must file and when

IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in June, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.

Tax yearYear endedDueIRS public records
2025June 30, 2026November 16, 2026Not due yet
2024June 30, 2025November 17, 2025990 on file
2023June 30, 2024November 15, 2024990 on file

IRS record

EIN
94-1696494
Tax-exempt status
501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
Foundation status
Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
Donations deductible (Pub 78)
Public charity, 50% deduction limit
Exempt since
1969
Accounting year ends
June
Files
Form 990 or 990-EZ
Assets (IRS master file)
$292,041,625
Income (IRS master file)
$101,246,098

Filing history

FormYear endedRevenueExpensesAssetsReturn
990June 2025$63,991,919$67,798,808$292,041,625IRS
990-TJune 2025–––IRS
990June 2024$66,629,029$65,980,256$293,014,681IRS
990-TJune 2024–––IRS
990June 2023$61,024,177$64,760,247$284,732,614XML
990-TJune 2023–––IRS
990June 2022$79,571,391$59,221,371$275,042,102IRS
990-TJune 2022–––IRS
990June 2021–––IRS
990-TJune 2021–––IRS
990June 2020–––IRS
990June 2019–––IRS
990June 2018–––IRS

990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 94-1696494).

Questions about THE EXPLORATORIUM

What is the EIN of THE EXPLORATORIUM?
The employer identification number (EIN) of THE EXPLORATORIUM is 94-1696494.
Is THE EXPLORATORIUM tax-exempt?
Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1969.
Are donations to THE EXPLORATORIUM tax-deductible?
Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
Which annual return does THE EXPLORATORIUM file?
Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
When is the next return of THE EXPLORATORIUM due?
The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending June 30, 2026) is due November 16, 2026. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
When did THE EXPLORATORIUM last file with the IRS?
The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended June 2025.
Who is the principal officer of THE EXPLORATORIUM?
The 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 names MARK BIERMAN.
Who are the officers and directors of THE EXPLORATORIUM?
The 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 lists 49 people; 10 received compensation from the organization, the highest $744,010 (MARK BIERMAN, EXEC DIRECTOR).
How much revenue does THE EXPLORATORIUM have?
On its 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 it reported revenue of $63,991,919, expenses of $67,798,808 and total assets of $292,041,625 at year end.

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