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LOWER EAST SIDE TENEMENT MUSEUM
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 133475390 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A540 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Large ($10M-$50M) · tenement.org
revenue
$17.8M
expenses
$11.8M
net assets
$41.2M
employees
153
volunteers
31
program ratio
76%
mission · from form 990

THE TENEMENT MUSEUM WELCOMES YOU INTO THE HOMES OF IMMIGRANTS, MIGRANTS, AND REFUGEES, AND SHARES THEIR STORIES TO INSPIRE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE PAST AND PRESENT, AND TO BUILD A MORE INCLUSIVE AND EXPANSIVE AMERICAN SOCIETY.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Lower East Side Tenement Museum preserves and interprets the history of American immigration and migration through the stories of real families who lived in New York City tenements from the 1860s to the 1980s. It offers guided tours of restored tenement apartments, educational programs for students and teachers, and a digital exhibit featuring contemporary stories of cultural identity. The museum uses personal narratives and historic urban spaces to connect the past with present-day conversations about inclusion and belonging.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $452K
    MUSEUM SHOP:THE GIFT SHOP OFFERS BOOKS, MULTIMEDIA, MUSEUM PRODUCTS, GIFTS AND TOYS THAT DOCUMENT AND/ OR COMMEMORATE THE IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCES AND THE STORIES OF LIFE AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE LOWER EAST SIDE.
named programs · 6 · from sources

What they call their work

Food Tours
Neighborhood walking tours combining food tastings with stories of immigrant foodways, including "Foods of The LES" and themed tours like Schneiders and Levine.
Historic Apartment Tours
Guided tours of preserved tenement apartments at 97 and 103 Orchard Street, featuring real families’ stories from the 1860s to 1980s.
Meet Victoria
Costumed interpreter experience where visitors interact with an actor portraying Victoria Confino, a teenage immigrant living in 1916.
Summer Teacher Institute
Week-long professional development program for K–12 educators that explores interconnected Black and immigrant histories through tenement stories, scholar talks, and tours; includes ongoing support during the school year.
Tour & Brunch with Russ & Daughters
Private group experience combining a museum tour with a catered brunch by the iconic Russ & Daughters, a family-run business with immigrant roots.
Your Story, Our Story
National digital exhibit inviting students and visitors to contribute object-based personal stories reflecting cultural identity and migration experiences.
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Guided Historic Site Tours 2 activities
    • Guided tours of historic tenement buildings and neighborhood
      Offers guided tours of restored tenement apartments and the Lower East Side neighborhood, including walking tours, food tours, and themed programs focused on immigration, migration, and cultural history. Tours are the sole means of accessing the historic buildings and are led by educators, with options for costumed interpreters and immersive storytelling.
    • Private and group tours
      Offers private group tours for up to 15 people at a cost of $450 per tour, available virtually or on-site, focusing on tenement apartments and neighborhood histories of migration.
  • Accessibility Services for Cultural Programs 1 activity
    • Accessibility services for visitors with disabilities
      Provides a range of accessibility accommodations including assistive listening devices, simultaneous transcription on iPad, ASL interpretation, tactile orientation sessions, free wheelchairs with advance reservation, service animal access, and free entry for care partners. Visitor Center features universally designed elevators and accessible restrooms.
  • Disaster and Line-of-Duty Memorialization 1 activity
    • Commemorative and public engagement events
      Hosts annual commemorative events such as a volunteer-led program writing the names and ages of Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire victims outside their former residences, and special tours tied to historical moments of civic engagement and democracy.
  • Oral History Collection and Preservation 1 activity
    • Digital exhibits and online storytelling initiatives
      Produces digital exhibits, virtual tours, and an online storytelling project called Your Story, Our Story, which collects and shares personal narratives of immigration and cultural identity. Hosts an online photo archive with over 1,500 historical images and maintains a digital exhibit featuring more than 18,000 contributed stories.
  • ESL and Citizenship Instruction 1 activity
    • ESOL/ELL language learning programs
      Provides free Shared Journeys workshops for adult English language learners that combine guided visits to recreated tenement apartments with facilitated discussions to support language development through historical and personal connections.
  • Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
    • Educational programs for K-12 students
      Provides student-centered, 1-hour educational programs for K-12 students, available in-person or virtually, that explore immigration, migration, and cultural identity through visits to recreated tenement apartments or neighborhood tours. Serves approximately 30,000 students and teachers annually.
  • Library-Provided Cultural Access Passes 1 activity
    • Membership and visitor benefits
      Offers membership benefits including free admission to building and walking tours, invitations to exclusive events, 50% discounts on specialty programs, 15% discounts in the museum shop and on private tours, and a discounted $65 membership rate for visitors with disabilities.
  • Historical and Genealogical Research 1 activity
    • Research on immigrant histories and families
      Conducts and presents original historical research on immigrant families, such as new findings on Rachel Moore’s life and her family’s connections to the Union Army during the Civil War.
  • History Education Curriculum Development 1 activity
    • Teacher professional development and curriculum support
      Offers virtual and in-person professional learning workshops for educators on teaching immigration, migration, and refugee history. Includes year-long engagement through the Tenement Teachers Network, providing free field trips, virtual trainings, coaching, and collaboration opportunities.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$17.78M
Contributions & grants$10.63M60%
Program service revenue$5.78M33%
Investment income$501K3%
Other revenue$865K
expenses
Total expenses$11.81M
Program expenses76%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising10%
Salaries & benefits$7.85M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$51.16M
Cash$11.02M
Investments$5.47M
Liabilities$9.92M
Net assets$41.24M
Liquid reserves16.8 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +28.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 9
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
ANNIE POLLAND PRESIDENT 40 $386K
LIDY CHU CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER 40 $262K
KATHRYN A WILLIAMS VP FINANCE 40 $219K
RACHAEL GRYGORCEWICZ CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER 40 $193K
ANNE BRENNER VP OF HR 40 $179K
MARY C COWELL VICE PRESIDENT, RETAIL OPS 40 $169K
ALISA MARTIN VP OF EDUCATION OPS 40 $165K
IAN PATRICK VP OF DEVELOPMENT 40 $160K
STEVEN MCINTOSH CHIEF OFFICER OF EDUCATION 40 $159K
board members · 16
  • ALICE F YURKE — BOARD CO-CHAIR
  • AMY STARCK — TRUSTEE
  • ANDREW S BERKMAN — TRUSTEE
  • BILLY HULT — TRUSTEE
  • BRUCE GEISMAR — TRUSTEE
  • CHRISTINA GREER — TRUSTEE
  • CHRISTOPHER P WILLCOX — TRUSTEE
  • CINDY MOELIS — TRUSTEE
  • DANIEL NARDELLO — TRUSTEE
  • ELEANOR PELTA — SECRETARY
  • EVAN WAGOWSKI — TRUSTEE
  • GARY E HANDEL FAIA — TRUSTEE
  • HARVEY M ROSS — TRUSTEE
  • HELENE LISS — TRUSTEE
  • JAMES NEWLANDS — TREASURER
  • JILL TOTENBERG — TRUSTEE
relationships · 20

Who they work with

  • 21st Century ILGWU Heritage Fund Funder — Supports the Shared Journeys program
  • Group Travel & Tour Companies Partner — Collaborates with tour operators to accommodate group visits and co-create itineraries.
  • Hearst Foundations Funder — Generous supporter of K-12 programs at the Tenement Museum.
  • Holiday Inn NYC – Lower East Side Partner — Partnered with the museum to provide discounted lodging for participants in the National Teacher Week program.
  • K-12 Schools Partner — Collaborates with K-12 schools to provide educational field trips and virtual programs for students.
  • National Park Foundation Funder — Supporter of K-12 programs at the Tenement Museum.
  • National Park Service Government — Funder of the Shared Journeys program
  • National Park Service Government — Provides support for the Tenement Museum's public programs.
  • New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Provides support for the Tenement Museum's public programs in partnership with the City Council.
  • New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Public funder of K-12 programs in partnership with the City Council.
  • New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Public funder of the Shared Journeys program in partnership with the City Council
  • New York State Council on the Arts Government — Provides support for the Tenement Museum's public programs.
  • New York State Council on the Arts Government — Public funder supporting K-12 programs at the Tenement Museum.
  • Russ & Daughters Partner — Partners with the Tenement Museum to offer a combined tour and brunch experience, linking two iconic Lower East Side institutions.
  • Ruth Sergel Partner — Artist who launched the CHALK initiative, which the Tenement Museum now organizes
  • Sorenson-Forum Partner — Provides simultaneous translation aid on apartment tours via the Sorenson-Forum app.
  • Storytellers Society Partner — Special membership group of young professionals supporting the Tenement Museum through curated programs and events
  • Tenement Museum Network — Hosts and operates the Your Story, Our Story digital storytelling project.
  • Tenement Museum members and donors Funder — Provide generous financial support for public programs.
  • The Pickle Guys Partner — Collaborates with the Tenement Museum on a tour and tasting program focused on Jewish immigrant food history and street vending culture.
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.

  • Immersive Storytelling to Foster Historical Empathy
    methodology: immersive_storytelling
    By recreating lived environments and using first-person interpretation, the museum produces deeper emotional and educational engagement because visitors experience history through the personal, sensory-rich stories of real individuals who lived it.
  • Intertwined Histories to Challenge Singular Narratives
    methodology: intertwined_histories
    By teaching Black and immigrant histories together through shared urban experiences, the museum produces a more inclusive understanding of American identity because it reveals interconnected struggles and resists siloed historical memory.
  • Student Empowerment Through Personal Historical Contribution
    methodology: student_as_historian
    By inviting students to share their own family stories and act as historians, the museum strengthens engagement and relevance because it validates personal identity as part of the historical record and demonstrates that history is shaped by ordinary people.
  • Thematic Historical Comparison to Highlight Continuity of Struggle
    methodology: thematic_comparison
    By drawing thematic parallels between past and present immigrant experiences, the museum fosters understanding of enduring social challenges because it positions history as a mirror for contemporary issues of migration, resilience, and identity.