Donor-capture index
Which major US museums are most dependent on donors vs. audience-driven program revenue, and which are most "building-monetized" via rentals, retail, and events. From IRS 990 filings.
2026-05-31T05:31:54+00:00
How much of each museum's revenue comes from donors vs from the audience (program revenue: tickets, membership, exhibition fees). Donor-led museums depend on a small number of large gifts; audience-led museums depend on broad public engagement. "Building monetization" tracks revenue from rentals, retail, and fundraising events — the operating model where the museum is a venue more than a program.
Financial figures from the most recent IRS Form 990 each museum has filed via ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer. Where annual attendance is available, Section F pairs it with contribution-revenue trends to surface museums whose audiences are drifting while donor revenue rises.
Section A — Composite donor-capture index
Higher score = more donor-dependent revenue mix. Combines contribution share, non-program/non-investment share (rentals/store/events), and a negative weight on program share.
| Rank | Index | Museum | Filing | Contribution share | Program share | Other (rentals/store/events) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 149 | Nelson Gallery Foundation (990) (Kansas City, MO) | 2023-04 | 159.3% | 16.8% | 3.8% |
| 2 | 92 | Studio Museum in Harlem (990) (New York, NY) | 2023-06 | 90.7% | 0.6% | 4.3% |
| 3 | 90 | Institute of Contemporary Art Miami (Miami, FL) | 2023-09 | 83.1% | 0.4% | 14.9% |
| 4 | 90 | Norton Museum of Art (990) (West Palm Beach, FL) | 2023-09 | 89.9% | 1.5% | 2.2% |
| 5 | 84 | Perez Art Museum Miami (Miami, FL) | 2023-12 | 85.2% | 4.6% | 4.5% |
| 6 | 79 | Dia Center for the Arts (990) (New York, NY) | 2023-06 | 80.8% | 5.6% | 4.4% |
| 7 | 78 | Museum of Contemporary Art (Los Angeles, CA) | 2023-06 | 76.2% | 0.5% | 4.8% |
| 8 | 78 | Hammer Museum (990) (Los Angeles, CA) | 2023-06 | 79.0% | 2.4% | 0.6% |
| 9 | 75 | Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts (Minneapolis, MN) | 2023-06 | 77.8% | 5.3% | 1.2% |
| 10 | 72 | Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, MI) | 2023-06 | 76.7% | 8.2% | 2.2% |
| 11 | 71 | Institute of Contemporary Art (990) (Boston, MA) | 2023-06 | 80.7% | 14.7% | 1.5% |
| 12 | 69 | Phillips Collection (Washington, DC) | 2023-07 | 72.7% | 6.5% | 1.4% |
| 13 | 69 | Cincinnati Museum Association (990) (Cincinnati, OH) | 2023-08 | 66.6% | 1.9% | 6.5% |
| 14 | 67 | New Museum of Contemporary Art (990) (New York, NY) | 2023-06 | 73.6% | 12.3% | 5.0% |
| 15 | 66 | Brooklyn Museum (990) (Brooklyn, NY) | 2023-06 | 77.1% | 16.9% | 1.4% |
| 16 | 63 | Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (990) (North Adams, MA) | 2023-09 | 69.0% | 16.5% | 10.3% |
| 17 | 55 | Whitney Museum of American Art (990) (New York, NY) | 2023-06 | 60.1% | 11.0% | 5.3% |
| 18 | 52 | Robert W Woodruff Arts Center (990) (Atlanta, GA) | 2023-05 | 67.9% | 28.2% | 7.9% |
| 19 | 52 | Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Los Angeles, CA) | 2023-06 | 67.0% | 22.8% | 1.6% |
| 20 | 51 | Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland, OH) | 2023-06 | 52.3% | 1.9% | 0.5% |
| 21 | 50 | Museum of Fine Arts (Boston, MA) | 2023-06 | 62.6% | 23.2% | 7.4% |
| 22 | 49 | Metropolitan Museum of Art (990) (New York, NY) | 2023-06 | 50.4% | 1.0% | -0.5% |
| 23 | 49 | Frick Collection (New York, NY) | 2023-06 | 51.7% | 3.3% | 0.1% |
| 24 | 49 | Dallas Museum of Art (Dallas, TX) | 2023-06 | 55.6% | 11.2% | 2.2% |
| 25 | 47 | Museum of the Moving Image (990) (Astoria, NY) | 2023-06 | 65.4% | 29.0% | 4.0% |
| 26 | 45 | Walker Art Center (990) (Minneapolis, MN) | 2024-06 | 48.5% | 4.7% | 0.2% |
| 27 | 44 | San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (San Francisco, CA) | 2023-06 | 53.7% | 16.6% | 4.8% |
| 28 | 43 | Indianapolis Museum of Art (Indianapolis, IN) | 2023-06 | 58.7% | 23.7% | 1.3% |
| 29 | 42 | Museum of Modern Art (New York, NY) | 2023-06 | 45.6% | 15.7% | 14.9% |
| 30 | 42 | Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (990) (Boston, MA) | 2023-06 | 56.4% | 26.8% | 8.8% |
| 31 | 34 | Philadelphia Museum of Art (Philadelphia, PA) | 2023-06 | 38.4% | 6.8% | 1.5% |
| 32 | 32 | Carnegie Institute (990) (Pittsburgh, PA) | 2023-12 | 46.7% | 25.6% | 5.3% |
| 33 | 26 | Barnes Foundation (990) (Philadelphia, PA) | 2023-06 | 44.0% | 28.1% | 3.9% |
| 34 | 23 | Menil Foundation (990) (Houston, TX) | 2023-06 | 28.2% | 7.1% | -1.3% |
| 35 | 18 | Museum of Fine Arts (990) (Houston, TX) | 2023-06 | 22.8% | 7.0% | -0.3% |
| 36 | 5 | Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation (990) (New York, NY) | 2023-12 | 32.8% | 41.4% | 2.6% |
| 37 | 4 | Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (990) (San Francisco, CA) | 2012-12 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 7.5% |
| 38 | 0 | Glenstone Foundation (990) (Potomac, MD) | 2023-12 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 39 | 0 | Walters Art Museum (990) (Baltimore, MD) | 2023-06 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 40 | 0 | Kimbell Art Foundation (990) (Fort Worth, TX) | 2023-12 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 41 | 0 | Getty Trust (Los Angeles, CA) | 2023-06 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 42 | 0 | Broad Art Foundation (990) (Los Angeles, CA) | 2023-12 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 43 | -27 | Art Institute of Chicago (990) (Chicago, IL) | 2023-06 | 14.4% | 60.5% | 1.5% |
Section B — Most audience-led (highest program-revenue share)
Museums whose revenue is most weighted toward tickets, membership, and exhibition fees — the audience-engagement signal.
| Rank | Program share | Museum | Total revenue | Program revenue | Contribution revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 60.5% | Art Institute of Chicago (990) | $359,509,602 | $217,491,387 | $51,858,370 |
| 2 | 41.4% | Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation (990) | $82,597,103 | $34,202,215 | $27,055,199 |
| 3 | 29.0% | Museum of the Moving Image (990) | $7,152,156 | $2,074,536 | $4,677,103 |
| 4 | 28.2% | Robert W Woodruff Arts Center (990) | $99,817,852 | $28,101,050 | $67,799,819 |
| 5 | 28.1% | Barnes Foundation (990) | $10,715,947 | $3,010,067 | $4,717,818 |
| 6 | 26.8% | Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (990) | $19,283,304 | $5,174,911 | $10,871,153 |
| 7 | 25.6% | Carnegie Institute (990) | $73,216,351 | $18,721,056 | $34,215,256 |
| 8 | 23.7% | Indianapolis Museum of Art | $62,024,991 | $14,723,386 | $36,424,875 |
| 9 | 23.2% | Museum of Fine Arts | $99,573,924 | $23,141,595 | $62,367,673 |
| 10 | 22.8% | Los Angeles County Museum of Art | $194,481,499 | $44,254,716 | $130,255,128 |
| 11 | 16.9% | Brooklyn Museum (990) | $50,937,193 | $8,626,657 | $39,259,537 |
| 12 | 16.8% | Nelson Gallery Foundation (990) | $10,381,523 | $1,740,592 | $16,534,922 |
| 13 | 16.6% | San Francisco Museum of Modern Art | $61,181,812 | $10,186,394 | $32,864,839 |
| 14 | 16.5% | Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (990) | $21,807,759 | $3,594,123 | $15,047,625 |
| 15 | 15.7% | Museum of Modern Art | $236,680,721 | $37,165,583 | $108,016,214 |
Section C — Most "building-monetized" (rentals + retail + events)
Museums earning the largest share of revenue from rentals, the gift shop, and special events — the operating model where the museum functions as a venue more than as a program.
| Rank | Other share | Net rental | Net retail | Net fundraising events | Museum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14.9% | $0 | $37,093,350 | $-1,776,207 | Museum of Modern Art |
| 2 | 14.9% | $0 | $0 | $1,802,745 | Institute of Contemporary Art Miami |
| 3 | 10.3% | $1,955,032 | $451,096 | $-154,669 | Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (990) |
| 4 | 8.8% | $413,158 | $1,498,145 | $-209,446 | Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (990) |
| 5 | 7.9% | $3,725,935 | $2,108,957 | $1,928,955 | Robert W Woodruff Arts Center (990) |
| 6 | 7.5% | $0 | $0 | $981 | Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (990) |
| 7 | 7.4% | $4,980,957 | $2,359,741 | $9,044 | Museum of Fine Arts |
| 8 | 6.5% | $206,431 | $1,670,810 | $-139,662 | Cincinnati Museum Association (990) |
| 9 | 5.3% | $3,027,270 | $1,495,519 | $-616,392 | Carnegie Institute (990) |
| 10 | 5.3% | $4,608,000 | $687,000 | $-928,000 | Whitney Museum of American Art (990) |
| 11 | 5.0% | $221,837 | $1,135,426 | $-228,700 | New Museum of Contemporary Art (990) |
| 12 | 4.8% | $541,012 | $3,555,223 | $-1,148,856 | San Francisco Museum of Modern Art |
| 13 | 4.8% | $148,815 | $576,484 | $0 | Museum of Contemporary Art |
| 14 | 4.5% | $907,591 | $643,181 | $0 | Perez Art Museum Miami |
| 15 | 4.4% | $1,314,111 | $302,475 | $0 | Dia Center for the Arts (990) |
Section D — Drift toward (or away from) donor dependence
Change in contribution share between the latest filing and the filing ~5 years prior. Positive = museum is becoming more donor-dependent over time.
| Δ contribution share | Latest | 5yr prior | Museum |
|---|---|---|---|
| +127.9 pp | 159.3% (2023) | 31.3% (2018) | Nelson Gallery Foundation |
| -40.2 pp | 28.2% (2023) | 68.4% (2018) | Menil Foundation |
| -31.3 pp | 38.4% (2023) | 69.7% (2018) | Philadelphia Museum of Art |
| -25.3 pp | 83.1% (2023) | 108.4% (2018) | Institute of Contemporary Art Miami |
| -22.3 pp | 44.0% (2023) | 66.3% (2018) | Barnes Foundation |
| -21.1 pp | 32.8% (2023) | 53.9% (2018) | Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation |
| +19.1 pp | 58.7% (2023) | 39.6% (2018) | Indianapolis Museum of Art |
| +17.9 pp | 77.1% (2023) | 59.2% (2018) | Brooklyn Museum |
| +17.4 pp | 62.6% (2023) | 45.2% (2018) | Museum of Fine Arts |
| +17.3 pp | 77.8% (2023) | 60.5% (2018) | Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts |
| +16.8 pp | 72.7% (2023) | 55.9% (2018) | Phillips Collection |
| +16.2 pp | 66.6% (2023) | 50.4% (2018) | Cincinnati Museum Association |
| +15.6 pp | 67.9% (2023) | 52.3% (2018) | Robert W Woodruff Arts Center |
| -15.1 pp | 48.5% (2024) | 63.6% (2019) | Walker Art Center |
| +15.0 pp | 76.2% (2023) | 61.2% (2018) | Museum of Contemporary Art |
| +14.8 pp | 46.7% (2023) | 31.9% (2018) | Carnegie Institute |
| -13.0 pp | 80.7% (2023) | 93.7% (2018) | Institute of Contemporary Art |
| +12.5 pp | 80.8% (2023) | 68.3% (2018) | Dia Center for the Arts |
| -12.4 pp | 53.7% (2023) | 66.1% (2018) | San Francisco Museum of Modern Art |
| +10.4 pp | 51.7% (2023) | 41.3% (2018) | Frick Collection |
Section E — Paid-exec compensation concentration
Top-paid officer's compensation as a share of total functional expense, latest filing. High share suggests a few execs absorb a disproportionate share of operating budget.
| Top paid | % of expenses | Museum | Total expenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| $320,000 | 15.953% | Broad Art Foundation | $2,005,831 |
| $854,602 | 4.425% | New Museum of Contemporary Art | $19,314,507 |
| $659,187 | 4.345% | Barnes Foundation | $15,172,107 |
| $995,429 | 4.101% | Museum of Contemporary Art | $24,270,760 |
| $883,173 | 4.008% | Institute of Contemporary Art | $22,036,975 |
| $403,817 | 3.965% | Institute of Contemporary Art Miami | $10,185,219 |
| $786,541 | 3.895% | Dia Center for the Arts | $20,191,928 |
| $312,473 | 3.774% | Museum of the Moving Image | $8,279,790 |
| $1,097,292 | 3.754% | Frick Collection | $29,233,056 |
| $545,652 | 3.376% | Studio Museum in Harlem | $16,164,729 |
| $719,251 | 3.326% | Perez Art Museum Miami | $21,623,190 |
| $2,888,922 | 3.332% | Whitney Museum of American Art | $86,708,000 |
| $645,902 | 2.504% | Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum | $25,793,696 |
| $2,496,238 | 2.445% | Los Angeles County Museum of Art | $102,095,893 |
| $525,663 | 2.341% | Norton Museum of Art | $22,453,908 |
Section F — Audience flight (attendance vs donor revenue)
Cross-references the museum's two most recent attendance years (from The Art Newspaper's annual visitor survey) with its two most recent IRS 990 filings. Museums flagged with ⚠ have attendance flat-or-down while contribution revenue is up — the signal that audience interest is fading and donors are filling the gap. Contribution / visitor shows how much donor money each visitor effectively brings in.
| Flag | Museum | Attendance Δ | Contribution Δ | Latest attendance | Contribution / visitor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ⚠ | Los Angeles County Museum of Art | -3.1% (2023→2024) | +50.4% | 873,825 | $149.06 |
| Metropolitan Museum of Art (990) | +4.5% (2024→2025) | +24.8% | 5,984,091 | $64.14 | |
| Museum of Modern Art | +5.4% (2024→2025) | +14.0% | 2,800,000 | $38.58 | |
| Museum of Fine Arts | +11.2% (2024→2025) | +2.5% | 1,100,000 | $56.70 | |
| Whitney Museum of American Art (990) | +15.7% (2023→2024) | -8.4% | 888,816 | $68.24 | |
| Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation (990) | -11.1% (2023→2024) | -38.9% | 766,000 | $35.32 | |
| Art Institute of Chicago (990) | +13.3% (2024→2025) | -22.5% | 1,500,000 | $34.57 |
Only one year of attendance on file (need ≥2 for YoY): Brooklyn Museum; Cleveland Museum of Art; Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts; Museum of Fine Arts; Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Has multi-year attendance but 990 contribution data isn't comparable (likely a 990-PF private foundation): Broad Art Foundation; Getty Trust.
No attendance data on file: Barnes Foundation; Carnegie Institute; Cincinnati Museum Association; Dallas Museum of Art; Detroit Institute of Arts; Dia Center for the Arts; Frick Collection; Glenstone Foundation; Hammer Museum; Indianapolis Museum of Art; Institute of Contemporary Art; Institute of Contemporary Art Miami; Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum; Kimbell Art Foundation; Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art; Menil Foundation; Museum of Contemporary Art; Museum of the Moving Image; Nelson Gallery Foundation; New Museum of Contemporary Art; Norton Museum of Art; Perez Art Museum Miami; Phillips Collection; Robert W Woodruff Arts Center; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Studio Museum in Harlem; Walker Art Center; Walters Art Museum.
Sources
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer — IRS Form 990 financial line items + officer rosters for U.S. tax-exempt organizations.
- IRS Form 990 filings — Primary source for U.S. nonprofit financial disclosures and trustee/officer rosters (Part VII).
- The Art Newspaper — annual visitor survey — Annual museum-attendance figures published each spring, covering the top ~100 most-visited art museums worldwide.