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THE SKYSCRAPER MUSEUM
New York, NY · EIN 133882190 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A500 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · skyscraper.org
revenue
$963K
expenses
$687K
net assets
$9.9M
employees
19
volunteers
16
program ratio
71%
mission · from form 990

TO DEVOTE ENERGY AND EFFORT TO THE DESIGN HISTORY, THEORY, AND PRACTICE OF URBAN ARCHITECTURE, PLANNING, AND DESIGN, THE DEVELOPMENT OF CITIES AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUILT OBJECTS AND SYSTEMS AND THE LIVES OF PEOPLE IN CITIES.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Skyscraper Museum is a nonprofit cultural institution in New York City dedicated to the study and exhibition of high-rise architecture, urban design, and the built environment. It produces major exhibitions on topics such as mass timber construction, supertall towers, and residential development in Manhattan, alongside educational programs for students, professionals, and the general public. The museum explores the relationship between architecture, cities, and society through curated displays, lectures, and public programs.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $110K
    THE MUSEUM HAS MAJOR EXHIBITIONS EACH YEAR, WHICH EXPLORE THE THEMES OF URBAN VITALITY, IDENTITY, AND CULTURE.
  2. #2 $49K
    EDUCATIONAL TOURS - THE MUSEUM PROVIDES TOURS OF ITS EXHIBITS AND COLLECTIONS TO GROUPS FROM ELEMENTARY THROUGH COLLEGE LEVEL CLASSES AND SENIOR GROUPS DURING SPECIAL MORNING HOURS AND ALL DAY ON MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS. EDUCATORS LEASE TOURS (UP TO 30 STUDENTS) THAT INCORPORATE LEARNING FROM ACROSS THE NEW YORK STATE CURRICULUM, INCLUDING SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, THE ARTS, AND SOCIAL STUDIES. STUDENTS LEAVE WITH AN APPRECIATION OF SKYSCRAPERS AND THEIR ROLE IN SOCIETY AS WELL AS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE METHODS OF CONSTRUCTING TALL BUILDINGS.
named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Curator's Tours and Author Talks
Free guided tours and monthly lectures by curators, architects, and authors on topics related to skyscrapers, urban development, and design innovation.
Educational Tours
Tours for school groups from elementary through college levels, incorporating architecture, engineering, and urban studies into New York State curriculum subjects such as science, math, and social studies.
Panel Programs and Lectures
Public events for professional and general audiences on issues such as embodied carbon, biophilic design, and the future of sustainable construction.
Tall Timber: The Future of Cities in Wood
Exhibition exploring the use of mass timber in high-rise construction, including its environmental benefits, structural innovations, and global case studies. Features models, graphics, and videos on cross-laminated timber and sustainable forestry.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
    • Curate and host exhibitions on skyscrapers and urban development
      Produces and hosts major exhibitions exploring the design, technology, construction, and social role of tall buildings, including historical, contemporary, and global perspectives. Exhibitions are held at the museum's physical location and include both permanent and rotating displays, such as "Supertall," "TALL TIMBER," and "Ten & Taller." Scope includes global surveys of supertall buildings and urban transformations in New York City.
  • Museum-Based Educational Outreach 1 activity
    • Deliver educational programs and public lectures
      Offers free public programs including curator-led gallery tours, author talks, panel discussions, lectures, and family programs with hands-on activities focused on urbanism, architecture, and engineering. Programs are held at the museum and online, and include specialized content for students from elementary through college levels and senior groups, aligned with New York State curriculum standards.
  • Guided Historic Site Tours 1 activity
    • Organize walking and thematic tours of urban architecture
      Conducts free, curated walking tours focused on the architectural and urban development of Battery Park City and Park Avenue, including the North Neighborhood, Stuyvesant High School, Rockefeller Park, and the integration of rail infrastructure with real estate. Tours are limited to 25 attendees and explore historical and contemporary urban transformations.
  • Local History Museum Operations 1 activity
    • Provide free public access to museum and online resources
      Operates a physical museum at 39 Battery Place in Battery Park City, New York, open Wednesday through Saturday with free general admission. Offers free access to online resources including program videos, virtual exhibitions, and educational materials. Maintains wheelchair accessibility and uses timed ticketing to manage visitor capacity.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Conduct research on tall buildings and urban development
      Conducts original research on the history, technology, and urban impact of high-rise buildings, including global surveys of supertall buildings (380 meters or taller), documentation of early skyscrapers in Lower Manhattan, and analysis of mass timber in high-rise construction. Research outputs include publications, infographics, and collaborative projects with institutions like the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$963K
Contributions & grants$733K76%
Program service revenue$19K2%
Investment income$205K21%
Other revenue$7K
expenses
Total expenses$687K
Program expenses71%
Admin / overhead26%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$403K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$9.91M
Cash$797K
Investments$5.36M
Liabilities$16K
Net assets$9.90M
Liquid reserves107.6 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +4.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
CAROL WILLIS PRESIDENT 50 $125K
board members · 14
  • CATHLEEN MCGUIGAN — TRUSTEE
  • JAMES SANDERS — TRUSTEE
  • JAMES VON KLEMPERER — CHAIR
  • JED S MARCUS — SECRETARY
  • LYNNE B SAGALYN — VICE CHAIR
  • MARK WILLIS — TRUSTEE
  • MEENAKSHI SRINIVASAN — TRUSTEE
  • NAJIB ABBOUD — TRUSTEE
  • OWEN GUTFREUND — TREASURER
  • PURNIMA KAPUR — TRUSTEE
  • RICHARD W EADDY — TRUSTEE
  • SAWTEEN SEE — TRUSTEE
  • STEPHEN V DESIMONE — TRUSTEE
  • WILLIAM F BAKER — TRUSTEE
relationships · 28

Who they work with

  • Arup Partner — Hosted a structural engineer from Arup for a public lecture on mass timber.
  • Battery Park City Authority Partner — Community partner that supports the Museum's public programs, including walking tours.
  • Brookfield Place Partner — Hosts the meeting point for the Battery Park City North Neighborhood walking tour in the Winter Garden.
  • COOKFOX Architects Partner — Featured their adaptive reuse design of the Terminal Warehouse using heavy timber in the exhibition.
  • Carol Willis Partner — Director and curator leading public tours at the museum
  • Chicago Architecture Center Partner — Co-developed educational infographic panels for the REFRAMED exhibition.
  • Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat Partner — Collaborated on the creation of a global map of tall mass timber buildings.
  • DeSimone Consulting Engineers Funder — Supports free admission at The Skyscraper Museum.
  • DeSimone Consulting Engineers Funder — Supports the Museum's free admission program.
  • Feil Family Foundation Funder — Supports free admission at The Skyscraper Museum.
  • Feil Family Foundation Funder — Supports the Museum's free admission program.
  • Foster + Partners Funder — Supports free admission at The Skyscraper Museum.
  • Foster + Partners Funder — Supports the Museum's free admission program.
  • Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates Funder — Supports free admission at The Skyscraper Museum.
  • Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates Funder — Supports the Museum's free admission program.
  • L&L Holding Company Partner — Highlighted their development work on the Terminal Warehouse adaptive reuse project in the exhibition.
  • Landmarks Preservation Commission Government — References the agency's role in designating New York City skyscrapers as Individual Landmarks in the "Sky Marks Landmarks" exhibition.
  • Mike Chesko Partner — Donated hand-carved miniature wooden models of Manhattan to the museum.
  • Museum of Jewish Heritage Partner — Located directly across the street from the Museum of Jewish Heritage, indicating a geographic and potentially collaborative relationship.
  • Museums for All Network — The Skyscraper Museum participates in the Museums for All program to expand access for low-income visitors.
  • Sciame Funder — Supports free admission at The Skyscraper Museum.
  • Sciame Funder — Supports the Museum's free admission program.
  • The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin Partner — Provider of archival photographic materials from the Howard Sochurek collection used in the exhibition or research.
  • Thornton Tomasetti Funder — Supports free admission at The Skyscraper Museum.
  • Thornton Tomasetti Funder — Supports the Museum's free admission program.
  • Timberlab Partner — Hosted the director of engineering from Timberlab for a public lecture on mass timber.
  • Turner Construction Funder — Supports free admission at The Skyscraper Museum.
  • Turner Construction Funder — Supports the Museum's free admission program.
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.

  • Curator-Led Interpretation Connecting Architecture to Urban Systems
    methodology: curator-led interpretation
    By using curator-led tours to connect architectural history with transportation and real estate dynamics, the museum fosters public engagement with urban development because expert interpretation makes systemic relationships visible and meaningful to non-specialist audiences.
  • Equitable Access Partnerships to Broaden Audience Engagement
    methodology: equitable access_program_partnership
    By partnering with programs like Museums for All and securing industry sponsorship to fund free admission, the museum increases access for low-income audiences because removing financial barriers aligns institutional reach with diverse urban communities.
  • Exhibition-Based Narrative Research to Surface Understudied Histories
    methodology: exhibition-based narrative research
    By constructing focused narratives through exhibitions—starting with modern concrete and extending to materials like mass timber—the museum advances public understanding of skyscraper development because uncovering hidden technical and material histories reveals broader societal and environmental implications of construction choices.
  • Hands-On, Educator-Led Learning for Youth Engagement
    methodology: hands-on learning
    By engaging children through hands-on, educator-led activities, the museum teaches urbanism, architecture, and engineering because experiential learning increases comprehension and retention more effectively than passive exposure.
  • Multidisciplinary Integration of Design, Technology, and Urban Life
    methodology: multidisciplinary exploration
    By examining skyscrapers through interconnected lenses of design, technology, construction, finance, and urban life, the museum produces deeper public understanding of vertical cities because complex urban phenomena are best understood through integrated, cross-sector analysis.