AUTRY MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST

Financials

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 December 31, 2024, highest compensation first.

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)

4700 WESTERN HERITAGE WAY, LOS ANGELES, CA 90027-1462

In care of

% GASPARE BENSO

Principal officer (990 for 2024)

STEPHEN ARON, 4700 WESTERN HERITAGE WAY, LOS ANGELES, CA 90027

Signed the 990

GASPARE BENSO, VP OF FINANCE & OP.

Phone

(323) 495-4279

Website

WWW.THEAUTRY.ORG

Return prepared by

GRANT THORNTON ADVISORS LLC

California records

California keeps its own records of charities and corporations. Search them by EIN 95-3947744 or by the name AUTRY MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST.

Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers

Registration status and filed reports (CT-TR-1, RRF-1)

Secretary of State, bizfile Online

Corporation status, entity number, agent for service

Franchise Tax Board

Entity status letter (state tax exemption, good standing)

Mission

THE AUTRY BRINGS TOGETHER THE STORIES OF ALL PEOPLES OF THE AMERICAN WEST, CONNECTING THE PAST WITH THE PRESENT TO INSPIRE OUR SHARED FUTURE. THE AUTRY CREATES PROVOCATIVE, ENGAGING, AND COMPELLING MUSEUM EXPERIENCES THAT INCREASE PEOPLE'S UNDERSTANDING (CONTINUED IN SCH O)OF EACH OTHER AND AMERICA, HELP THE COMMUNITY ASK AND ANSWER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES OF SOCIETY, AND PROMOTE SOLUTIONS BENEFICIAL TO THE GREATER GOOD.

Program accomplishments

• THE AUTRY MUSEUM'S GALLERIES AND ONLINE PLATFORMS TELL DIVERSE AND COMPLICATED STORIES OF THE AMERICAN WEST. TEMPORARY ONSITE EXHIBITIONS THAT OPENED IN 2024 INCLUDED THE ANNUAL MASTERS OF THE AMERICAN WEST ART EXHIBITION AND SALE; OUT OF SITE: SURVEY SCIENCE AND THE HIDDEN WEST; AND FUTURE IMAGINARIES: INDIGENOUS ART, FASHION, TECHNOLOGY. THE MUSEUM EXPERIENCE CONTINUES IN THE PERMANENT GALLERIES, WHICH EXPLORE OTHER HISTORIES AND COMMUNITIES OF THE WEST. "IMAGINED WESTS" TRAVELS THROUGH WESTERN STORYTELLING LANDSCAPES, THROUGH RETELLINGS OF HISTORY AND THROUGH THE CRAFT OF MANY 'WEST MAKERS' FROM TAILORS TO ACTORS. THE GALLERY ALSO EXPLORES 'THE VIEW FROM HERE,' A FOCUS ON SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S ROLE AS A PLACE FOR STORIES. THE ART OF THE WEST GALLERY SHOWCASES THE DYNAMIC AND EVOLVING WORLD (CONTINUED IN SCHEDULE O)OF ART THAT SPRINGS FROM THE CULTURAL PRACTICES OF SOME OF THE MANY PEOPLES WHO HAVE SHAPED AND CONTINUE TO SHAPE THE AMERICAN WEST. THE COWBOY GALLERY DETAILS THE EVOLUTION OF THE COWBOY FROM THE OPEN RANGE TO THE ERA OF THE TEXAS TRAIL DRIVES AND RANCHING ON THE PLAINS. THE HUMAN NATURE GALLERY FOCUSES ON FOUR KEY CALIFORNIA STORIES SALMON, FIRE, DESERT, AND WATERWAYS THAT REVEAL HOW TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE CAN HELP CURRENT RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND AND CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. THE COLT REVOLVER IN THE AMERICAN WEST EXPLORES THE HISTORY AND IMPACT OF SAMUEL COLT'S REVOLUTIONARY REVOLVER IN THE AMERICAN WEST. THE JOURNEYS GALLERY EXPLORES THE PEOPLE AND EVENTS THAT CHANGED THE WEST IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 19TH CENTURY.
  Expenses $14,885,375 · revenue $570,716
• THE AUTRY PROMOTES RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, ENCOURAGES THE DEVELOPMENT OF GROUNDBREAKING SCHOLARSHIP, AND REACHES A BROAD AUDIENCE THROUGH PROGRAMS AND PUBLICATIONS. ITS RESEARCH LIBRARY PROVIDES EXEMPLARY STEWARDSHIP OF THE RENOWNED LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES COLLECTIONS, INSPIRES SCHOLARSHIP BY A MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH COMMUNITY, AND FUELS DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF THE AMERICAN WEST. AUTRY RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS ARE AWARDED ANNUALLY TO SUPPORT SCHOLARLY PROJECTS CONCERNING THE STUDY OF PEOPLE AND CULTURES OF THE AMERICAN WEST.
  Expenses $434,403 · grants $5,325 · revenue $19,625
• THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS DEDICATED TO ENRICHING THE EXPERIENCE OF ALL VISITORS THROUGH THOUGHTFUL, ENTERTAINING AND ENGAGING CLASSES, PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES. THROUGHOUT 2024, WHICH INCLUDES THE SECOND SEMESTER OF THE 2023-2024 ACADEMIC YEAR AND THE FIRST SEMESTER OF THE 2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR, THE AUTRY SERVED 12,545 K-12 STUDENTS IN-PERSON, INCLUDING STUDENTS FROM TITLE I SCHOOLS WHO CAME THROUGH THE ALL-ABOARD BUS PROGRAM. THROUGH ONLINE, VIA DIGITAL TOURS, LESSONS, PRIMARY SOURCE COLLECTIONS, AND OTHER INTERACTIVE FEATURES, THE AUTRY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SERVED 20,980 UNIQUE USERS ONLINE IN 2024. THE AUTRY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ALSO OFFERED ITS OUTREACH PROGRAMS IN WHICH MUSEUM EDUCATORS GO INTO CLASSROOMS ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY. THROUGH THE AUTRY IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM, (CONTINUED IN SCHEDULE O)THE AUTRY SERVED 9,529 THIRD, FOURTH, AND FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS. THROUGH THE AUTRY CLASSROOM CURATORS OUTREACH PROGRAM, THE AUTRY SERVED 1,195 K-16 STUDENTS. THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OFFERS PROGRAMS EXPLORING DIVERSE ASPECTS OF LIFE IN THE WEST THROUGH THE AUTRY'S ART AND ARTIFACTS AND MEETS CALIFORNIA STATE CONTENT STANDARDS IN HISTORY/SOCIAL SCIENCE FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE. EXAMPLES OF THESE STANDARDS INCLUDE COWBOYS: PAST AND PRESENT (FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 2ND GRADE), SCULPTURE EXPLORERS (FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 2ND GRADE), TONGVA: THE FIRST PEOPLES OF LOS ANGELES (FOR 3RD THROUGH 8TH GRADES), THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH (FOR 3RD THROUGH 6TH GRADES), TRAILS WEST (FOR 3RD THROUGH 8TH GRADES), AND WATERWAYS (MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL GRADES). THE AUTRY ALSO OFFERS OLDER STUDENTS A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE STORY OF THE WEST THROUGH INNOVATIVE OUTREACH PROGRAMS. MUSEUM EDUCATORS WORK IN LOCAL SCHOOLS TO BRING TOGETHER STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND MUSEUM PROFESSIONALS TO LEARN ABOUT HISTORY IN FUN AND ENGAGING WAYS, INCLUDING THE ANNUAL STUDENT VISUAL ARTS EXHIBITION. THE AUTRY ALSO SUPPORTS THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATORS THROUGH THE AUTRY CLASSROOM CURATORS PROGRAM, WHICH HELP LOS ANGELES-AREA TEACHERS TO CREATE OBJECT AND PROJECT-BASED LEARNING UNITS, AND THE AUTRY EDUCATORS' INSTITUTE, WHICH OFFERS MULTI-DAY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATORS.
  Expenses $1,169,897
• NATIVE VOICES, THE AUTRY'S RESIDENT THEATRE COMPANY AND THE SOLE ACTORS' EQUITY THEATRE IN THE COUNTRY, IS DEVOTED TO DEVELOPING AND PRODUCING NEW WORKS FOR THE STAGE BY NATIVE AMERICAN, ALASKA NATIVE, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND FIRST NATIONS PLAYWRIGHTS. IT IS WIDELY RESPECTED IN NATIVE AMERICAN AND THEATRE COMMUNITIES FOR DEVELOPING NATIVE PLAYWRIGHTS AND THEATRE ARTISTS, TELLING NATIVE STORIES BY AND ABOUT NATIVE PEOPLE, AND PROVIDING THE PUBLIC ACCESS TO THESE PLAYS AND PLAYWRIGHTS. NATIVE VOICES PERFORMANCES AND READINGS TAKE PLACE INSIDE THE AUTRY'S THEATRE, WITH RECORDINGS OF SELECT READINGS OF SHORT PLAYS AND PLAYS IN DEVELOPMENT ALSO AVAILABLE TO AUDIENCES. MUSEUMS HAVE LONG EMBRACED THE IDEA OF BEING "SAFE SPACES TO ASK UNSAFE QUESTIONS"PLACES WHERE VISITORS CAN EXPLORE COMPLEX OR CONTESTED HISTORIES WITHIN A RESPECTFUL FRAMEWORK. INCREASINGLY, AUDIENCES ALSO LOOK TO MUSEUMS AS SAFE SPACES FOR SOCIAL CONNECTIONPLACES TO BE TOGETHER ACROSS DIFFERENCE.IN 2024, PUBLIC PROGRAMMING REFLECTED THIS SHIFT THROUGH LARGE-SCALE FESTIVAL GATHERINGS AND PARTICIPATORY EXPERIENCES THAT FOSTERED SHARED ENGAGEMENT. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED THE AMERICAN INDIAN ARTS MARKETPLACE IN EARLY SUMMER, OUTDOOR FILM SCREENINGS ON THE MUSEUM LAWN, LIVE MUSIC AND SALSA DANCING ON THE PLAZA, AN EVENING OPEN HOUSE CO-PRODUCED WITH KCRW, AND A DAY-LONG FALL FAMILY BLOCK PARTY. THE YEAR ALSO SAW EXPANDED OFFERINGS IN LIVE MUSIC, MEDITATION, ART WORKSHOPS, AND MAKER EVENTS, EMPHASIZING CREATIVITY AND CONNECTION.THE LONG-RUNNING WHAT IS A WESTERN? FILM SERIES CONTINUED ITS EXPLORATION OF THE DIVERSE FILMS THAT DEFINE AND REINTERPRET THE WESTERN GENRE. EACH SCREENING FEATURED A GUEST LECTURER WHO CONTEXTUALIZED THE FILM'S SIGNIFICANCE WITHIN THE BROADER UNDERSTANDING OF THE AMERICAN WEST.
  Expenses $802,220 · revenue $159,882

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 December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.

IRS record

EIN

95-3947744

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

1985

Accounting year ends

December

Files

Form 990 or 990-EZ

Category (NTEE)

Arts, culture and humanities (A540)

Assets (IRS master file)

$179,864,026

Income (IRS master file)

$14,365,898

Filing history

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 95-3947744).

Questions about AUTRY MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST

What is the EIN of AUTRY MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST?

The employer identification number (EIN) of AUTRY MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST is 95-3947744.

Is AUTRY MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST tax-exempt?

Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1985.

Are donations to AUTRY MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST tax-deductible?

Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).

Which annual return does AUTRY MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST 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 AUTRY MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST due?

The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending December 31, 2025) is due May 15, 2026. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.

When did AUTRY MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST last file with the IRS?

The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2024.

Who is the principal officer of AUTRY MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST?

The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 names STEPHEN ARON.

Who are the officers and directors of AUTRY MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST?

The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 lists 46 people; 10 received compensation from the organization, the highest $334,418 (STEPHEN ARON, PRESIDENT & CEO).

How much revenue does AUTRY MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST have?

On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 it reported revenue of $11,958,406, expenses of $21,652,677 and total assets of $179,864,026 at year end.

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