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HECKSCHER MUSEUM
HUNTINGTON, NY · EIN 116038031 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A510 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Medium ($1M-$10M) · heckscher.org
revenue
$2.3M
expenses
$2.6M
net assets
$8.5M
employees
24
volunteers
80
program ratio
81%
mission · from form 990

MUSEUM HAS A MISSION TO CREATE OPPORTUNTIES FOR EVERYONE TO EXPERIENCE ART THAT BROADENS UNDERSTANDING OF THE PAST, FOSTERS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS TO THE PRESENT, AND CREATES DIVERSE POSSBILITIES FOR THE FUTURE.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Heckscher Museum of Art is a cultural institution in Huntington, NY, dedicated to making art accessible to all. It offers exhibitions, educational programs, and community events for adults, families, and children. The museum emphasizes community engagement through public programs, hands-on workshops, and collaborations with local organizations.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $620K
    PUBLIC PROGRAMS SERVE BOTH THE LOCAL AND WIDER COMMUNITY THROUGH PROGRAMMING FOR ADULTS, FAMILIES AND CHILDREN INCLUDING LECTURES, CONCERTS, BOOK GROUPS AND HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS. OVER A HUNDRED IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL PUBLIC PROGRAMS CONDUCTED ANNUALLY, ATTENDED BY 15,000 CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND ADULTS. THESE INCLUDE: DUAL LANGUAGE FAMILY HOURS; YOUTH AMBASSADORS; "LUNAR NEW YEAR", "PRIDE AND JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS; FIRST FRIDAY CONCERT SERIES; MUSEUM SUMMER PALETTE CAFE; AND THE ANNUAL "DRAW OUT" COMMUNITY ARTS FESTIVAL. PUBLIC PROGRAMS ARE DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, LEADERS, AND VOLUNTEERS. THE MUSEUM SERVES AS A COMMUNITY CENTER FOR PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND GATHERINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
  2. #2 $434K
    HUNTINGTON EDUCATION PROGRAMS OFFER MULTIFACETED PROGRAMMING TO A DIVERSE POPULATION REACHING MORE THAN 6,000 STUDENTS AND 100 SCHOOLS ANNUALLY. LONG ISLAND'S BEST: YOUNG ARTISTS AT THE HECKSCHER MUSEUM CONTINUES TO PROVIDE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH IN-DEPTH ARTS LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND IS THE ONLY PROFESSIONALLY PRESENTED JURIED EXHIBITION ORGANIZED BY A LONG ISLAND MUSEUM. SEVENTY-SEVEN SCHOOLS PARTICIPATED IN LONG ISLAND'S BEST EDUCATION PROGRAMS LEADING TO THE CREATION OF ORIGINAL WORKS OF ART BY THE STUDENTS. THE NUMBER OF STUDENT WORKS SUBMITTED TO THE JURIED COMPETITION WAS 456. EIGHTY-SEVEN WORKS WERE SELECTED FOR EXHIBITION. THE FIVE-WEEK EXHIBIT ATTRACTED 1,530 VISITORS AND WAS VIEWED ONLINE BY 3,550 UNIQUE VIEWERS.
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

DRAW OUT! Community Arts Festival
Free annual community arts festival in Heckscher Park featuring art activities, live music, artist demonstrations, and community partners
Dove/Torr Cottage Soundwalk
Self-guided outdoor audio experience at the historic cottage of artists Arthur Dove and Helen Torr, accessible via mobile app
Long Island's Best: Young Artists at The Heckscher Museum
Juried exhibition and education program for high school students that includes in-depth arts learning and public exhibition of student artwork
Summer Drop-In Workshops for Kids
Weekly art workshops for children ages 5–10 inspired by artworks in the museum’s collection
Youth Ambassadors
Youth development program engaging young people in museum programming and community events
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Historic Site Designation Advocacy 1 activity
    • Advocate for historic preservation of artist sites
      Secured national recognition for the Dove/Torr Cottage through inclusion in the Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios Program and designation as part of Save America’s Treasures, both initiatives aimed at preserving culturally significant artist residences.
  • Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
    • Deliver youth and family art education programs
      Offers drop-in art workshops for children ages 5–10, multi-day summer workshops for children entering grades 2–5, and School’s Out! Art’s In! programs that combine gallery exploration with hands-on art creation. These programs are held in the museum and Heckscher Park and are designed to engage children with various materials and techniques.
  • Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
    • Engage community through festivals and special events
      Hosts an annual free community arts festival in the museum and Heckscher Park featuring live music, drawing sessions, and artist interactions. Also organizes the annual Summer Community Dinner with multicultural cuisine, extended gallery access, and opportunities for direct engagement with exhibiting artists.
  • Art Appreciation and Public Engagement 1 activity
    • Host public and virtual educational events
      Conducts over 100 in-person and virtual public programs annually for children, families, and adults, including curator-led conversations, art conservator talks, and virtual gallery discussions with institutions such as the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart and the Fleming Museum of Art. Programs also include bilingual family hours, cultural celebrations, and the Draw Out Community Arts Festival.
  • Nonprofit-Operated Cafés and Social Enterprises 1 activity
    • Operate visitor services and public amenities
      Employs Guest Experience Assistants and part-time museum guards to support visitor engagement, safety, and operations. Operates a seasonal café cart on the museum terrace during summer months, offering snacks and cold beverages to visitors.
  • Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
    • Present juried and thematic exhibitions
      Organizes annual juried exhibitions such as the Long Island Biennial, ongoing since 2010, and the Long Island's Best: Young Artists exhibition, which features student submissions. Also presents special exhibitions like "The Heckscher Museum Celebrates 100," showcasing masterworks and historical objects from the permanent collection.
  • Accessibility Services for Cultural Programs 1 activity
    • Provide accessible digital and on-site visitor resources
      Offers digital content including online collection highlights, audio and video features, interactive maps, and verbal description recordings for visitors who are blind or have low vision. Also provides free access to Digital Action Paintings on screens and Family Activity Guides during regular hours.
  • Volunteer Engagement and Capacity Support 1 activity
    • Support community engagement through volunteer programs
      Relies on a team of dedicated volunteers to support community service activities, including public programs and visitor services.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Curate and maintain permanent art collection
      Preserves and stewards a collection of over 2,300 works of art spanning from the sixteenth to the twenty-first century, including European and American painting, sculpture, works on paper, and photography. The museum acquired significant works such as George Grosz’s *Eclipse of the Sun* and received the Baker/Pisano Collection in 2001, the largest single donation focused on American modernist art.
    • Preserve and interpret historic artist residence
      Stewards the Arthur Dove and Helen Torr Cottage in Centerport, acquired in 1998, as a historic site and studio of American modernist artists. The museum preserves the site and offers public access through self-guided soundwalks and educational programming.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.32M
Contributions & grants$1.97M85%
Program service revenue$63K3%
Investment income$305K13%
Other revenue$-15K
expenses
Total expenses$2.64M
Program expenses81%
Admin / overhead13%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$1.66M
Grants paid out$11K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$9.60M
Cash$389K
Investments$7.25M
Liabilities$1.07M
Net assets$8.52M
Liquid reserves34.7 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +34.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
HEATHER ARNET CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 50 $198K
board members · 13
  • BETTE SCHNEIDERMAN — TRUSTEE
  • BRUCE A LEV — BOARD CHAIR
  • BRUCE SEGEL — TRUSTEE
  • COLETTE BUZETTA — TRUSTEE
  • JESSICA BRASSLER — TRUSTEE
  • JOHN E CORAOR — TRUSTEE
  • JOHN T CALLAGHAN — TRUSTEE
  • MARGY HARGRAVES — TRUSTEE
  • PIEN BOSCH — TRUSTEE
  • PRISCILLA HUGHES — TREASURER
  • RICHARD T CUNNIFF JR — SECRETARY
  • ROBERT J AQUILINA — VICE CHAIR
  • TRUDY H CALABRESE — VICE CHAIR
relationships · 40

Who they work with

  • Art League of Long Island Partner — Collaborated on the Draw Out Community Arts Festival.
  • Brasas Peru Bistro Bar Partner — Provides cuisine for the Museum's Summer Community Dinner event.
  • Discover Long Island Funder — Generously supports the Museum Palette Café Cart program.
  • Dove/Torr Cottage Partner — Site for self-guided accessible outdoor soundwalks in collaboration with the museum.
  • Eileen Shaloum Partner — Exhibiting artist and special guest at a drop-in workshop, engaging children in learning about her artwork and creating their own pieces.
  • Fleming Museum of Art Partner — Co-hosted a virtual curator discussion on Wood Gaylor and American modernism.
  • Girls Inc. of Long Island Partner — Collaborated on a community project to create the audio for the Dove/Torr Cottage soundwalk featuring middle school students
  • HAHS at the National Trust for Historic Preservation Funder — Joint funder of the Dorothy C. Radgowski Learning Through Women’s Achievement in the Arts Grant supporting the soundwalk
  • Half Hollow Hills Community Library Partner — Participates in the DRAW OUT! Community Arts Festival with art activities for families.
  • Heckscher Park Partner — Collaborates on programming including interactive outdoor maps and self-guided soundwalks.
  • Huntington African American Museum Partner — Participates in the DRAW OUT! Community Arts Festival with art activities for families.
  • Huntington Arts Council Partner — Collaborated on the Draw Out Community Arts Festival.
  • Huntington Fine Arts Partner — Collaborated on the Draw Out Community Arts Festival.
  • Huntington Historical Society Partner — Collaborated on the Huntington Adventure Camp.
  • Huntington Historical Society Partner — Participates in the DRAW OUT! Community Arts Festival with art activities for families.
  • Huntington Public Library Partner — Collaborated on the Draw Out Community Arts Festival.
  • Huntington Public Library Partner — Participates in the DRAW OUT! Community Arts Festival with art activities for families.
  • Long Island Native Plant Initiative Partner — Donated native plants to beautify the grounds of the Dove/Torr Cottage
  • Lycoming College Partner — Andreas Rentsch, Chair of the Art Department at Lycoming College, serves as a juror for the Long Island Biennial.
  • Mathnasium of South Huntington Partner — Participates in the DRAW OUT! Community Arts Festival with art activities for families.
  • Musée d’Orsay Partner — Connected research on A. Vollon’s _Un Espagnol_ to works in the Musée d’Orsay’s collection.
  • National Trust for Historic Preservation Network — Member of the Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios Program administered by the National Trust for Historic Preservation
  • National Trust for Historic Preservation Network — Member of the Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios program (HAHS), a national consortium of museums that were formerly homes and studios of American artists.
  • Protégé Art Studio Partner — Participates in the DRAW OUT! Community Arts Festival with art activities for families.
  • Spirit of Huntington Art Center Partner — Participates in the DRAW OUT! Community Arts Festival with art activities for families.
  • Staatsgalerie Stuttgart Partner — Collaborated on the inclusion of George Grosz's _Eclipse of the Sun_ in the exhibition _The Glitz and Venom of the Twenties: George Grosz in Berlin_.
  • TOH Asian American Task Force Partner — Collaborated on the Draw Out Community Arts Festival.
  • The Atelier at Flowerfield Partner — Participates in the DRAW OUT! Community Arts Festival with art activities for families.
  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art Partner — Lauren Rosati, Associate Curator at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, serves as a juror for the Long Island Biennial.
  • Town of Huntington Government — Assumed ownership of the Museum in 1954 and formally delegated operational responsibility to the Museum's independent Board of Trustees in 1957.
+ 10 more
strategies · 4

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.

  • Civic Connection via Art and Public Space
    methodology: civic_engagement_through_art
    By hosting inclusive public events and extending the museum experience into outdoor and digital spaces through soundwalks and civic-themed exhibitions, it fosters democratic dialogue and community belonging, because linking art to shared history and public space strengthens collective identity.
  • Co-Creative Community Programming
    methodology: community_collaborative_programming
    By developing public programs in collaboration with community stakeholders, youth, and local organizations, the museum increases relevance and participation, because co-creation ensures programming reflects community identities and builds ownership of cultural spaces.
  • Community-Centered Arts Access
    methodology: community_centered_access
    By positioning the museum as a community-centered institution with publicly accessible art and arts education, it strengthens community cultural life and broadens public engagement with the arts, because shared access to artistic experiences fosters social connection and inclusion.
  • Inclusive Engagement Through Artistic Participation
    methodology: experiential_art_learning
    By engaging children and families in hands-on art-making inspired by the collection and using diverse materials, the museum deepens learning and connection to art, because direct creative exploration fosters personal meaning-making and sustained interest in cultural institutions.