ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM INC

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 June 30, 2025, highest compensation first.

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)

25 EVANS WAY, BOSTON, MA 02115-5538

In care of

% RUSS WIGGIN

Principal officer (990 for 2024)

PEGGY FOGELMAN, 25 EVANS WAY, BOSTON, MA 02115

Signed the 990

MATTHEW TERRILL, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

Phone

(617) 566-1401

Website

WWW.GARDNERMUSEUM.ORG

Return prepared by

CBIZ ADVISORS LLC

Mission

SEE SCHEDULE O.

Program accomplishments

• COLLECTION AND CONSERVATION - DISTINGUISHED AMONG OTHER GREAT MUSEUMS FOR PRESERVING THE CURATORIAL VISION OF ITS FOUNDER, THE GARDNER MUSEUM IS A WORK OF ART IN TOTALITY. IT ENCOMPASSES A COLLECTION OF APPROXIMATELY 20,000 OBJECTS, INCLUDING ARCHIVAL ITEMS AND WORKS OF ART SPANNING 30 CENTURIES. ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER BEQUEATHED THIS REMARKABLE COLLECTION AND HISTORIC BUILDING AS A RESOURCE "FOR THE EDUCATION AND ENJOYMENT OF THE PUBLIC FOREVER." ON CONTINUAL DISPLAY, THE ONGOING CONSERVATION OF THE COLLECTION EMPLOYS CUTTING EDGE SCIENTIFIC METHODS AND NEW PRACTICES TO PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND SAFEGUARD THESE WORKS FOR POSTERITY. SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS, PUBLICATIONS, AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS FEATURE NEW RESEARCH ON THE MUSEUM'S PERMANENT COLLECTION AND CATALYZE DIALOGUES THAT ADDRESS QUESTIONS OF CONTEMPORARY CULTURAL RELEVANCE.
  Expenses $16,517,268 · revenue $6,438,708
• EDUCATION AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS - THE GARDNER'S EDUCATION AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS CREATE WELCOMING AND ENJOYABLE LEARNING EXPERIENCES. KNOWN FOR A COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AS WELL AS COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL ARTISTS AND COMMUNITIES, THE GARDNER OFFERS A RICH VARIETY OF PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS THAT SPARK IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES WITH WORKS OF ART AND PRESENT OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH SOME OF TODAY'S MOST CREATIVE INDIVIDUALS. IN ADDITION TO HIGH-QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS AND DOCENTS, THE MUSEUM CONDUCTS THOUGHTFUL RESEARCH THAT BRINGS NEW KNOWLEDGE TO THE MUSEUM EDUCATION FIELD. THE THINKING THROUGH ART K-12 PROGRAM, KNOWN FOR ITS EMPHASIS ON CLOSE LOOKING AND INTERPRETATION, HAS PRODUCED RESEARCH ON HOW IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES WITH ART HELPED BOSTON STUDENTS DEVELOP SIGNIFICANTLY MORE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS THAN STUDENTS IN CONTROL SCHOOLS WITHOUT THE PROGRAM. WORKING WITH LOCAL ARTISTS, PERFORMERS, CULTURAL LEADERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, THE MUSEUM WORKS TO BUILD MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIPS. FIRST FREE THURSDAYS, A SUCCESSFUL EVENING PROGRAM FOR YOUNG ADULTS, HAS BECOME A MODEL FOR MUSEUMS AROUND THE COUNTRY IN ENGAGING YOUNG, LOCAL AUDIENCES. NEIGHBORHOOD SALON LUMINARIES AND STUDIO ARTIST PROGRAMS BUILD COMMUNITY WITH LOCAL ARTISTS AND CREATIVES, CONNECTING THEM WITH THE MUSEUM, THE STAFF, COLLECTION, AND RESOURCES, INFORMING FUTURE PROGRAM CO-CREATION AND ARTISTIC RESPONSES TO THE GARDNER. EXHIBITION INTERPRETATION AND PROGRAMMING FEATURE A VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES, CREATING MULTIPLE ENTRY POINTS FOR VISITORS. THE GARDNER AMBASSADORS PAID INTERNSHIP PROVIDES PRACTICAL, COMPENSATED JOB PATHWAYS FOR LOCAL COMMUNITY AND STATE (UMASS BOSTON) COLLEGE STUDENTS, EMPHASIZING BOTH PERSONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS GROUNDING THEIR LEARNING IN THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE.
  Expenses $2,300,212 · revenue $1,005,635
• MUSIC - A VITAL PART OF ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER'S VISION, MUSIC CONTINUES TO BE CENTRAL TO THE GARDNER MUSEUM'S INTERDISCIPLINARY MISSION. ISABELLA'S MUSEUM OPENED IN 1903 WITH A CONCERT BY THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, AND HER DYNAMIC MUSICAL LEGACY CONTINUES TODAY WITH THE COUNTRY'S OLDEST MUSEUM-BASED CONCERT SERIES. THE MUSEUM'S SUNDAY CONCERT SERIES PRESENTS OUTSTANDING ESTABLISHED AND EMERGING MUSICIANS IN THE MUSEUM'S INTIMATE CONCERT SPACE, CALDERWOOD HALL. THE PERFORMERS, COMPOSERS, AND REPERTOIRE FEATURED IN THE MUSEUM'S MUSICAL PROGRAMMING REFLECT A COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE, WHILE THE COMMISSIONING OF NEW WORKS CELEBRATES THE INNOVATIVE PERSPECTIVES OF CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS. THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT PRESENTS MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERFORMANCES THAT RESPOND TO THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION AND EXHIBITIONS THROUGH DANCE, MUSIC, SPOKEN WORD, AND THEATER.
  Expenses $1,294,595 · revenue $686,779
• LANDSCAPE & HORTICULTURE - IN BUILDING THE MUSEUM, THE FIRST PUBLIC INSTITUTION ON THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED BACK BAY FENS, ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER CONTRIBUTED TO A CONCEPTION OF THE CITY AS SHAPED BY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE. THE MUSEUM REMAINS COMMITTED TO BEING A PREEMINENT CULTURAL VENUE FOR LANDSCAPE AND ITS ROLE IN THE CONTEMPORARY CITY. THE LANDSCAPE DEPARTMENT CURATES EXHIBITIONS AND CONVENES PUBLIC PROGRAMS ON TOPICS OF SOCIETAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR CONTEMPORARY BOSTON. THESE PROGRAMS PRESENT OUR AUDIENCES WITH THE MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES OF THE DAY, AS WELL AS THE ROLE OF DESIGN AND PLANNING IN ADDRESSING THOSE CHALLENGES. THE MUSEUM MAINTAINS A VARIED LIVING PLANT COLLECTION, WITH MANY SPECIES DESCENDING FROM THE FOUNDER'S OWN ERA. ADDITIONALLY, THE HORTICULTURE DEPARTMENT PROPAGATES THOUSANDS OF PLANTS EACH YEAR FOR SEASONAL DISPLAYS IN ITS ICONIC COURTYARD. THE MONK'S GARDEN, HORTICULTURE WORKSHOPS, AND OTHER PROGRAMMING FURTHER BRING THE ART OF HORTICULTURE TO LIFE AS PART OF THE MUSEUM EXPERIENCE.
  Expenses $1,219,483 · revenue $436,039
• CONTEMPORARY ART - THE ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE OLDEST IN THE COUNTRY, BEGINNING IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE MUSEUM WHEN GARDNER'S FRIEND JOHN SINGER SARGENT STAYED IN AN APARTMENT ON THE GROUND FLOOR. SINCE 1992 THE MUSEUM HAS INVITED ARTISTS FROM ALL CREATIVE DISCIPLINES AND BACKGROUNDS TO ONCE AGAIN STAY ON THE PREMISES TO RESEARCH, WORK AND RESPOND TO THE COLLECTION, OFFERING FRESH PERSPECTIVES ON GARDNER'S CREATION. THESE ARTISTS OFTEN RETURN MULTIPLE TIMES TO FIND INSPIRATION, TO ENJOY THE GIFT OF TIME AND TO STAY CONNECTED TO THE MUSEUM IN MEANINGFUL WAYS. THANKS TO THE NEW STRATEGIC PLAN, THE CONTEMPORARY DEPARTMENT HAS CONTINUED TO FORGE DYNAMIC NEW CONNECTIONS BETWEEN MUSEUM AUDIENCES, LIVING ARTISTS AND THE COLLECTION, WHILE EXPANDING THE FOCUS ON SPECIFIC THEMATIC EXHIBITION PROJECTS AND COMMISSIONS, WHICH CONNECT GARDNER'S TOTAL WORK OF ART TO RELEVANT ISSUES OF CONTEMPORARY CULTURE.
  Expenses $856,985 · revenue $293,058

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.

IRS record

EIN

04-2104334

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

1937

Accounting year ends

June

Files

Form 990 or 990-EZ

Category (NTEE)

Arts, culture and humanities (A510)

Assets (IRS master file)

$382,282,469

Income (IRS master file)

$40,827,792

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 04-2104334).

Questions about ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM INC

What is the EIN of ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM INC?

The employer identification number (EIN) of ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM INC is 04-2104334.

Is ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM INC tax-exempt?

Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1937.

Are donations to ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM INC tax-deductible?

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

Which annual return does ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM INC 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 ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM INC 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 ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM INC 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 ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM INC?

The 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 names PEGGY FOGELMAN.

Who are the officers and directors of ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM INC?

The 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 lists 38 people; 8 received compensation from the organization, the highest $705,247 (PEGGY FOGELMAN, NORMA JEAN CALDERWOOD DIRECTOR).

How much revenue does ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM INC have?

On its 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 it reported revenue of $38,992,891, expenses of $28,676,659 and total assets of $382,282,469 at year end.

Other nonprofits in BOSTON

• MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS
  EIN 04-2103607 · last filed 990 for 2025
• BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC
  EIN 04-2103550 · last filed 990 for 2025
• MUSEUM OF SCIENCE
  EIN 04-2103916 · last filed 990 for 2025
• BOSTON BALLET INC
  EIN 04-2312734 · last filed 990 for 2025
• FACING HISTORY & OURSELVES INC
  EIN 04-2761636 · last filed 990 for 2025
• INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART
  EIN 04-2104327 · last filed 990 for 2025
• HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY INC
  EIN 22-2659560 · last filed 990 for 2025
• THE CHILDRENS MUSEUM
  EIN 04-2103993 · last filed 990 for 2025

All nonprofits in BOSTON · Massachusetts · Arts, culture and humanities