Better Business Bureau Report for
Houston Museum of Natural Science

Better Business Bureau Report issued August 2011
Better Business Bureau Report expires August 2012


This BBB Accredited charity meets all 20 Standards for Charity Accountability. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Houston Museum of Natural Science
Address: One Hermann Circle Drive
  Houston, TX 77030
Phone: 713-639-4629
Web Address: www.hmns.org
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Better Business Bureau Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1909, Texas
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: The mission of the Houston Museum of Natural Science shall be to preserve and advance the general knowledge of natural science; to enhance in individuals the knowledge of and delight in natural science and related subjects; and to maintain and promote a museum of the first class.

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

Houston Museum of Natural Science meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

The Houston Museum of Natural Science houses the Burke Baker Planetarium, Wortham IMAX® Theatre, Cockrell Butterfly Center and over a dozen permanent exhibit areas that examine astronomy, space science, Native Americans, paleontology, energy, chemistry, gems and minerals, seashells, Texas wildlife and more. In addition, the museum frequently presents traveling exhibitions on a variety of topics. The Museum also maintains three satellite facilities: The George Observatory in Fort Bend County, which houses one of the largest telescopes in the country that is available for public viewing; and The Woodlands Xploration Station, which has exhibits on dinosaurs; mineralogy; exotic, live insects and more. Also, the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land opened in October 2009. The Museum is also a major science learning center with over a half million school children visiting annually, including every fourth grade and eighth grade class in the Houston Independent School District. Just one of many unique educational opportunities available to these students and others is the Challenger Learning Center, the first in a national network, which allows students to experience the teamwork necessary to complete a variety of space tasks. Modeled after NASA, the two-part center houses Mission Control on the Lower Level, which is linked via monitors, microphones and computers to a space simulator located in the Museum's penthouse. The Museum has a second Challenger Learning Center at its George Observatory, located 55 miles south of Houston in Brazos Bend State Park. In 2010, the museum's annual service exceeded 2.2 million.

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, Houston Museum of Natural Science's program expenses were:

  
Museum collections and exhibits 10,681,317
Advertising and public relations 6,441,606
Admissions and vistor services 4,073,612
Gift shop 3,188,924
Education programs 2,865,009
Membership development 726,332
Total Program Expenses: $27,976,800
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Joel A. Bartsch, President
Compensation*:
$302,480

Chair of the Board: Peter Huddleston
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Peter Huddleston & Co., Inc.

Board Size: 66

Paid Staff Size: 327

*Compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
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Fund Raising

              

Method(s) Used:

direct mail, invitations to fund raising events, grant proposals, internet
Fund raising costs were 9% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $12,935,579, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
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Tax Status

              

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
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Financial

              

The following information is based on Houston Museum of Natural Science's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009.

Source of Funds  
Admissions fees 13,284,937
Investment return 6,927,558
Contributions 6,102,819
Non-operating contributions 5,583,485
Gift shop sales 4,055,536
Education program fees 2,340,039
Operating investment return 2,268,308
Investment earnings distributed from endowment 1,994,713
Facility rental and parking fees 1,530,537
Special event - gala 1,249,275
Other revenue 472,471
Net assets released from restrictions -1,994,713
Collection expenditures -1,996,366
Total Income $41,818,599


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 87%  Fund Raising: 3%  Administrative: 9%  Other Expenses: 1%

Total income   $41,818,599
  Program expenses $27,976,800
  Fund raising expenses 1,111,774
  Administrative expenses 3,050,285
  Other Expenses 282,266
Total expenses   $32,421,125
Income in Excess of Expenses   9,397,474
Beginning net assets   107,807,692
Ending net assets   117,205,166
Total liabilities   17,779,092
Total assets   $134,984,258


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Complaints

              

The BBB has processed no complaints about this organization in the past 36 months, our standard reporting period.

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An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.

This report is not to be used for fund raising or promotional purposes.

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