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research dossier

New York Historical Society
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 131624124 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A800 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Large ($10M-$50M) · nyhistory.org
revenue
$43.1M
expenses
$43.2M
net assets
$217.6M
employees
351
volunteers
142
program ratio
80%
mission · from form 990

TO COLLECT, PRESERVE, AND INTERPRET, FOR THE BROADEST POSSIBLE PUBLIC, MATERIAL RELEVANT TO THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES IN GENERAL AND OF NEW YORK STATE AND CITY IN PARTICULAR.

profile · synthesized from sources

The New York Historical Society, founded in 1804, is a leading cultural institution dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting American history, with a focus on New York State and City. It operates a museum and research library, offering exhibitions, educational programs, and public events for students, teachers, scholars, and the general public. The organization serves as a museum of museums, housing extensive collections of art, documents, and artifacts spanning over 400 years of American history.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $13.42M
    CARE AND CONSERVATION OF COLLECTIONS - NEW YORK'S FIRST MUSEUM, THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL, IS A LEADING CULTURAL INSTITUTION DOCUMENTING OVER 400 YEARS OF AMERICAN HISTORY THROUGH A PEERLESS COLLECTION OF ART, DOCUMENTS, AND ARTIFACTS. TNYH'S COLLECTION COMPRISES OVER 80,000 OBJECTS. TNYH'S PATRICIA D. KLINGENSTEIN LIBRARY IS ONE OF THE OLDEST, MOST DISTINGUISHED RESEARCH LIBRARIES IN THE UNITED STATES AND A VITAL CENTER OF RESEARCH INTO THE HISTORY OF NEW YORK AND THE NATION. AMONG ITS EXTENSIVE COLLECTIONS ARE MILLIONS OF BOOKS, NEWSPAPERS, MAPS, MANUSCRIPTS AND ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS, PRINTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND ARCHITECTURAL COLLECTIONS FROM THE 16TH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT. THESE HOLDINGS, MANY OF THEM UNIQUE, REVEAL THE COMPLEXITY OF HISTORY AND INSPIRE ENGAGEMENT, DISCOVERY, AND ORIGINAL SCHOLARSHIP. FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE SCHEDULE O.
  2. #2 $4.05M
    Other Programmatic Activities - THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL HAS A MUSEUM STORE WHICH SELLS MERCHANDISE PRIMARILY RELATED TO THE SOCIETY'S MISSION, CURRENT EXHIBITIONS OR COLLECTION; OFFERS SPACE RENTALS TO VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS FOR SPECIAL EVENTS; AND RECEIVES ROYALTIES FROM PUBLISHERS, WEB DESIGNERS AND INDIVIDUALS FOR THE USE OF ITEMS IN THE COLLECTION.
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Breakfast University
Lecture series featuring prominent historians and scholars discussing pivotal moments in American history.
Bryant Park Reading Room Programs
Free outdoor lecture series in partnership with Bryant Park Corporation, bringing historical discussions to the public in a park setting.
DiMenna Children’s History Museum
Permanent interactive space designed for children to explore American history through hands-on exhibits and activities.
History Responds
Collecting program that preserves contemporary historical materials as events unfold, ensuring future generations have access to primary sources.
Patricia D. Klingenstein Library
One of the oldest independent research libraries in the United States, housing over 12 million items including books, manuscripts, maps, and archival collections focused on New York and American history.
activities · 11 groups

What they do

  • Local History Archival Access 2 activities
    • Conduct and maintain historical collections and acquisitions
      Operates an ongoing collecting program that acquires, preserves, and provides access to historical materials as events unfold, including through the 'History Responds' initiative. Maintains a collection of over 80,000 art, documents, and artifacts related to American history.
    • Provide access to research library and digital historical resources
      Operates a research library with over 12 million items and provides on-site and online access to digitized historical materials, including Revolutionary Era maps, Civil War resources, New York City photographs, and curated selections of letters, drawings, and documents.
  • Local History Preservation and Education 2 activities
    • Operate the Center for Women's History and related exhibitions
      Operates the Center for Women's History—the first of its kind in a major U.S. museum—to research and present the roles of women in American history, including exhibitions such as 'Revolutionary Women' and 'The Movement: How Women's Liberation Transformed America'.
    • Operate the New Amsterdam Project
      Runs the New Amsterdam Project to explore the early history of New York City and connect its historical themes—such as colonialism, diversity, and governance—to contemporary social and cultural issues.
  • Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
    • Curate and host public exhibitions on American history and culture
      Hosts rotating public exhibitions that explore American history and culture, such as 'Art of the Street' featuring the Hirschfeld Collection and 'Resistance: A Conversation on the Past, Present, and Future of American Racism', often in collaboration with artists and scholars.
  • Teacher Professional Development 1 activity
    • Deliver educational programs for students, teachers, and the public
      Provides educational programming for K–12 students, teachers, and adult learners, including school programs, teacher workshops, and public conversations on American history and democracy, delivered in-person and online.
  • Museum and Historical Gift Shops 1 activity
    • Generate program revenue through auxiliary services
      Generates program revenue through operations including a museum store, space rentals for special events, and royalties from the use of collection items.
  • Guided Historic Site Tours 1 activity
    • Host docent-guided and public tours of exhibitions
      Offers docent-led tours of permanent and special exhibitions such as 'Old Masters, New Amsterdam' and Betye Saar's doll collection, as well as free daily guided tours at 1 pm and 2:30 pm. Also provides pay-as-you-wish admission on Friday evenings and participates in the Culture Pass program with New York City public libraries.
  • Historic Site Public Programming 1 activity
    • Host public lecture series and talks on American history
      Hosts a recurring lecture series, including Breakfast University and public talks featuring prominent historians and scholars, on topics such as American democracy, racism, women's liberation, LGBTQ+ activism, and figures like Mark Twain. Events are held in-person, including at the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library and in partnership with Bryant Park, and as digital programs for members.
  • Local History Museum Operations 1 activity
    • Operate the DiMenna Children’s History Museum
      Operates the DiMenna Children’s History Museum as a permanent, interactive educational space designed for children and families to engage with American history through age-appropriate exhibits and programs.
  • Professional Membership and Association Benefits 1 activity
    • Provide member-exclusive programs and benefits
      Offers members exclusive access to events such as breakfasts, exhibition opening receptions, guided tours, and remote programs with scholars and experts, including digital offerings like Curator Confidential.
  • Research and Scholarly Fellowship Support 1 activity
    • Support scholarly research through fellowships
      Offers fellowships that enable scholars to conduct research and produce publications using the New-York Historical Society’s Library and archival resources.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Improve accessibility and inclusivity of collection descriptions
      Revises collection records by replacing outdated or harmful descriptive language with respectful, current terminology and adds advisory notes to alert visitors to disturbing content in historical materials.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$43.14M
Contributions & grants$34.44M80%
Program service revenue$3.31M8%
Investment income$1.86M4%
Other revenue$3.53M
expenses
Total expenses$43.16M
Program expenses80%
Admin / overhead13%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$23.31M
Grants paid out$60K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$280.03M
Cash$11.61M
Investments$63.41M
Liabilities$62.40M
Net assets$217.64M
Liquid reserves20.9 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -30.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 15
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Louise Mirrer President and CEO 45 $1.02M
Freddy Taveras Secretary, EVP & General Counsel 45 $385K
Monique Quinn Assistant Treasurer and CFO 45 $336K
Valerie Paley SVP and Library Director 45 $324K
Armando Lopez Director of IT 45 $280K
Matthew Bregman VP Development (end 2/2024) 45 $271K
Frank DiMaiolo VP Human Resources 45 $259K
Margaret Hofer FORMER VP MUSEUM DIRECTOR 0 $238K
Yashiris Moreta VP Operations and Capital Projects 45 $232K
Leslie Hayes VP Education 45 $226K
Wendy Ikemoto VP Chief Curator 45 $221K
Emily Croll Dir. of Collections & Curatorial Affairs (End 1/2025) 45 $217K
Kenneth Weine SVP & Chief Content Officer 45 $191K
Arlene Barnard Controller (End 5/2025) 45 $186K
Derek Lance VP Development (End 6/2025) 45 $178K
board members · 10
  • Andrew H Tisch — Vice Chair
  • Anita Volz Wien — Trustee
  • Arnold Chavkin — Trustee (As of 10/2024)
  • Barbara Knowles Debs — Trustee
  • Barry Barnett — Trustee
  • Brian Kane — Trustee
  • Bridget Van Kralingen — Trustee
  • Buzzy Geduld — Trustee
  • Daniel Cohen — Trustee (End 10/2024)
  • David W Zalaznick — Trustee
relationships · 21

Who they work with

  • Anthony Bleecker Partner — One of the 11 founders of The New York Historical Society
  • Betye Saar Partner — Collaborates with artist Betye Saar and her studio to develop an exhibition of her promised gift of Black dolls and related works.
  • Brooklyn Public Library Partner — Partners through the Culture Pass program to provide library patrons with free museum admission.
  • Bryant Park Corporation Partner — Co-produces free outdoor public lecture programs with The New York Historical Society.
  • Bryant Park Corporation Partner — Co-produces public programs with The New York Historical Society at the Bryant Park Reading Room.
  • David Hosack Partner — One of the 11 founders of The New York Historical Society
  • DeWitt Clinton Partner — One of the 11 founders of The New York Historical Society
  • Egbert Benson Partner — One of the 11 founders of The New York Historical Society
  • Empire State Museums Network — Participates in the Empire State Museums Reciprocal Program, offering membership benefits across affiliated institutions.
  • John M. Mason Partner — One of the 11 founders of The New York Historical Society
  • John N. Abeel Partner — One of the 11 founders of The New York Historical Society
  • John Pintard Partner — One of the 11 founders of The New York Historical Society
  • NYU Libraries Partner — Collaborates on digital access to collections through shared online systems, including the Bobcat catalog and Special Collections database.
  • New York Public Library Partner — Partners through the Culture Pass program to provide library patrons with free museum admission.
  • Patricia D. Klingenstein Library Network — Independent research library within the New York Historical Society dedicated to historical research and public access.
  • Peter G. Stuyvesant Partner — One of the 11 founders of The New York Historical Society
  • Queens Public Library Partner — Partners through the Culture Pass program to provide library patrons with free museum admission.
  • Samuel Bayard Partner — One of the 11 founders of The New York Historical Society
  • Samuel Miller Partner — One of the 11 founders of The New York Historical Society
  • Silent Book Club NYC Partner — Collaborates to host a silent book club event in the Reading Room.
  • William Linn Partner — One of the 11 founders of The New York Historical Society
strategies · 6

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Art as Historical Interpretation
    methodology: cultural-art-historical-interpretation
    By using Dutch Golden Age paintings to reconstruct daily life in New Amsterdam, the organization connects art to local historical narratives because visual culture serves as a primary source for understanding social and material conditions of the past.
  • Collections-Based Education and Scholarship
    methodology: collections-based_education
    By preserving and curating historical artifacts and documents, the organization enables public education and academic research because authentic primary sources are essential for accurate historical scholarship and learning.
  • Contemporary Collecting for Historical Relevance
    methodology: contemporary_collecting
    By collecting historical materials in real time, the organization documents contemporary events as they unfold because immediate preservation ensures accuracy and enables future connection between current issues and historical understanding.
  • Experiential History Education for Children
    methodology: experiential_learning
    By engaging children and families through an interactive, dedicated museum space, the organization fosters historical inquiry because hands-on, experiential learning increases retention and interest in history among young audiences.
  • Historical Contextualization of Sensitive Materials
    methodology: historical_contextualization
    By maintaining access to historically significant but potentially objectionable materials and preserving original descriptive language, the organization supports research and public understanding because authentic context enables critical engagement with past social realities.
  • Women's History Integration
    methodology: womens_history_integration
    By integrating dedicated research and public programming on women's history into a major museum setting, the organization expands the narrative of American history because inclusive storytelling produces a more accurate and representative understanding of the past.