named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Family and Historical Interpretation Program
Educational initiative that brings to life the characters in Alice Austen’s world through detailed audio and tactile storytelling, integrated into public education programs
Low Vision Introduction Tour
Launches Spring 2024; features 3D printed touch photographs and audio descriptions of Alice Austen, her family, and key photographs for visitors with low vision
activities · 9 groups
What they do
-
Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 2 activities
- Curating permanent and changing exhibitions on Alice Austen and contemporary photographyCurates a permanent exhibition on Alice Austen’s life and photographic legacy, updated in 2019 as “New Eyes on Alice Austen” to reflect current scholarship on her contributions to photography, immigration, women’s, and LGBTQ history; also presents three changing contemporary exhibitions annually. Reopened the revised permanent exhibition on May 22, 2019 after a multi-year revision process.
- Hosting outdoor and traveling exhibitionsHosts outdoor exhibitions such as "Lost Body" by Shaun Krupa and participates in citywide events like the Photoville Festival across all five boroughs of New York City. Also plans upcoming exhibitions featuring nationally recognized photographers such as Andrea Modica.
-
-
Youth Photography Education 1 activity
- Delivering photography-based workshops and mobile education through the Roaming Image LabOperates the Roaming Image Lab, a mobile photo studio that provides photography education to students regardless of access to materials, age, or ability. Offers hands-on instruction in digital photography and uses Alice Austen’s work to teach themes including women’s history, LGBTQ+ studies, and immigration.
-
-
Free Outdoor & Community Theater Productions 1 activity
- Hosting public cultural events and performancesHosts a series of free public cultural events including music performances such as "Sound Waves at Sunset," theatrical performances like Shakespeare's "As You Like It" on the waterfront lawn, and family-friendly interactive workshops such as "Kids & the Classics" for children ages 4–12.
-
-
Local History Preservation and Education 1 activity
- Interpreting Alice Austen's life and legacy to promote creative expression and identity explorationInterprets the photographs, life, and historic home of Alice Austen to educate and inspire the public, with a focus on fostering creative expression, exploring personal identity, and advancing understanding of women's history, immigration, and LGBTQ+ experiences.
-
-
Guided Historic Site Tours 1 activity
- Offering guided tours and accessibility-focused programmingProvides guided tours of the house, gardens, and exhibitions, including free tours focused on specific themes such as the Queer Ecology Project and Radical Botany exhibition. Develops inclusive programming such as a low-vision tour featuring 3D printed touch photographs and audio descriptions, created in collaboration with Cooperstown University students and launched in spring 2024.
-
-
Local History Museum Operations 1 activity
- Operating the Alice Austen House as a historic house museumOperates the Alice Austen House and garden as a historic house museum in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, offering public access to the site and maintaining it as a cultural and educational resource.
-
-
Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
- Providing educational programs for K–12 students and schoolsOffers structured educational programs for school trips tailored to grades K–12, focusing on Alice Austen’s life, photography, women’s history, self-expression, and immigration. Programs integrate historic and contemporary photography and are delivered on-site, in schools, and virtually, with a focus on underserved and racially diverse communities in Staten Island and NYC.
-
-
Digital Visitor Engagement via Mobile App 1 activity
- Providing virtual access to exhibitions and museum contentOffers virtual tours of current and past exhibitions, including an online virtual tour of the Alice Austen House museum, enabling remote access to its collections and educational resources.
-
-
Uncategorized 1 activity
- Conducting specialized photography and storytelling workshopsOffers hands-on workshops such as cyanotype printing using botanical materials collected during garden tours, and runs targeted programs like the 6-week LGBTQ+ Photographic Storytelling workshop series that includes student interviews and discussions on LGBTQ+ identity, culminating in a visit to the Alice Austen House. Also conducted an intergenerational storytelling workshop in 2018 for Staten Island SAGE and high school GSAs.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$550K
Contributions & grants$466K85%
Program service revenue$65K12%
Investment income$1K0%
Other revenue$19K
expenses
Total expenses$773K
Program expenses83%
Admin / overhead8%
Fundraising8%
Salaries & benefits$520K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$728K
Cash$462K
Investments$0
Liabilities$24K
Net assets$704K
Liquid reserves7.2 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -55.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA MUNRO | EXECUTIVE DI | 40 | $129K |
board members · 10
- BLANCHE WIESSEN COOK — DIRECTOR
- CHERYL CLARKE — DIRECTOR
- DEBORAH HERNANDEZ — PRESIDENT
- GEORGE D ADAMES — COUNSEL
- JACK TURNER — SECRETARY
- MARY M GARDNER — DIRECTOR
- NANCY MYERS BENBOW — DIRECTOR
- SARAH BLAS — DIRECTOR
- TERRI TSUI — VP & TREASUR
- THERESA TORRES — NOMINATIONS
relationships · 26
Who they work with
- American Alliance of Museums Network — Member organization (via AAM membership) that qualifies for reciprocal free admission to the museum.
- Blazers Sports Bar Partner — Hosts the Arm Wrestling Fundraiser event in partnership with the Alice Austen House.
- Cool Culture Partner — Community-based organization whose members receive free admission through a cultural access partnership.
- Cooperstown University Partner — Collaborated with students to develop a low vision introduction tour featuring tactile and audio components
- Culture Pass Government — Public library program that provides free admission to the museum for cardholders.
- Curtis High School GSA Partner — Participated in the 2018 Intergenerational Storytelling Through Photography workshop
- Drexel University Partner — Hosts an exhibition featuring the work of Andrea Modica, who teaches at Drexel University.
- Glam Gardener NYC Partner — Collaborated on family programming involving foraging and nature crafting
- Hip to Hip Theatre Partner — Collaborates to present "Free Shakespeare in the Parks" performances and educational workshops at The Alice Austen House.
- Historic House Trust Network — Member organization of which the Alice Austen House is a part.
- Historic House Trust Network — Member organization whose affiliation provides reciprocal free admission to the museum.
- Historic House Trust Partner — Collaborated to assess site-wide accessibility at the Alice Austen House
- Historic Richmond Town Network — Member organization whose affiliation provides reciprocal free admission to the museum.
- Ms. Bengals Partner — Educator who provided testimonial feedback on student experience in the program
- Museums Council of NYC Network — Member organization whose affiliation provides reciprocal free admission to the museum.
- National Park Service Government — Recognized the Alice Austen House as a national site of LGBTQ historic significance in 2017, referenced in the exhibition narrative.
- National Trust for Historic Preservation Network — Member of the National Trust’s Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios program.
- New York City Department of Parks and Recreation Government — Owns the Alice Austen House and grounds.
- New York City Department of Parks and Recreation Partner — Partners with the Friends of Alice Austen House to operate the house and garden as a historic house museum.
- Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art Partner — Partner organization promoted for combined visitation as part of the local cultural network.
- Noble Maritime Collection Partner — Partner organization promoted for combined visitation as part of the local cultural network.
- Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden Partner — Collaborates informally by promoting joint visitation and cultural programming in the local area.
- Staten Island Children’s Museum Partner — Partner organization promoted for combined visitation as part of the local cultural network.
- Staten Island Museum Partner — Partner organization promoted for combined visitation as part of the local cultural network.
- Staten Island SAGE Partner — Collaborated on the 2018 Intergenerational Storytelling Through Photography workshop
- Wagner High School GSA Partner — Participated in the 2018 Intergenerational Storytelling Through Photography workshop
strategies · 5
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.
- Arts-Based Learning in Safe Spaces for Youth Engagementmethodology: arts-education-through-playBy using interactive theatre games, close reading, and arts-based methods within the safe, affirming environment of the historic house, the organization helps young people connect classical texts and personal identities to their own lives, because structured creative play in psychologically safe settings promotes deeper learning and self-expression.
- Cultural Heritage as a Catalyst for Identity Explorationmethodology: cultural-heritage-interpretationBy interpreting Alice Austen's life, work, and historic home — particularly her identity as a queer woman and pioneering photographer — the organization fosters creative expression and personal identity exploration among visitors and students, because seeing oneself reflected in history deepens engagement and self-understanding.
- Multisensory and Equitable Access as Educational Inclusionmethodology: multisensory_accessibilityBy using multisensory tools like 3D printed photographs and audio descriptions, and offering free, family-friendly, and digitally accessible programming, the organization expands access to cultural content for low-vision audiences and broader communities, because removing physical, economic, and sensory barriers enables more equitable participation in cultural learning.
- Queer Ecology to Integrate Identity, Art, and Environmental Connectionmethodology: queer-ecologyBy combining environmental education with LGBTQ+ cultural themes through the Queer Ecology Project, the organization connects personal identity to nature and artistic practice, because integrating marginalized identities with ecological awareness fosters deeper belonging and holistic understanding.
- Scholarship-Informed Interpretation for Truthful and Inclusive Narrativesmethodology: scholarship_informed_curationBy grounding exhibitions and educational programming in current scholarly research across photographic, women’s, immigration, and LGBTQ+ histories, the organization ensures accurate, inclusive, and evolving interpretations of Alice Austen’s legacy, because rigorous scholarship enables truthful storytelling that resonates with diverse audiences.