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HARNESS RACING MUSEUM AND HALL OF FAME
GOSHEN, NY · EIN 141368198 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A500 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Medium ($1M-$10M)
revenue
$1.7M
expenses
$1.3M
net assets
$9.1M
employees
20
program ratio
72%
mission · from form 990

THE HARNESS RACING MUSEUM & HALL OF FAME IS DEDICATED TO COMPREHENSIVE, ACTIVE AND AUTHORITATIVE SUPPORT AND PROMOTION OF THE STANDARDBRED RACING THROUGH DOCUMENTATION AND PRESERVATION OF THE HISTORY AND TRADITIONS OF THIS AMERICAN-BORN SPORT. IT WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO AUGMENT EXISTING COLLECTIONS AND PROVIDE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND EXCITING EXHIBITRY TO EXPAND HARNESS RACING'S INTEREST APPEAL, BOTH NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY, TO ASSURE AN INFORMED AUDIENCE AND A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame preserves and promotes the history of Standardbred horse racing in the United States. It operates as a cultural and educational institution offering school programs, public exhibits, and research services related to harness racing. The organization is based in Goshen, NY, and serves a national audience with its collections, educational outreach, and annual Hall of Fame ceremony.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $316K
    PUBLIC INFORMATION AND EDUCATION: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS OFFERED TO SCHOOL CHILDREN RELATING TO THE TROTTING HORSE; DISTRIBUTION OF POSTERS, BROCHURES AND NEWSLETTERS.THE MUSEUM HOSTED 1220 STUDENTS. 364 ATTENDED EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS.THE MUSEUM ALSO CONDUCTS THE ANNUAL HARNESS RACING HALL OF FAME AWARDS CEREMONY, WHICH IS OPEN TO PUBLIC.THE MUSEUM GIFT SHOP SOLD EDUCATIONAL ITEMS RELATED TO HARNESS RACING AND ITS HISTORY.
  2. #2 $289K
    LIBRARY AND RESEARCH: THE MUSEUM OFFERS A DIVERSITY OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES, AND IT FURNISHES ARTICLES AND PHOTOGRAPHS TO INTERESTED PARTIES.THE MUSEUM'S DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SERVICES RESPONDED TO 60 RESEARCH REQUESTS VIA MUSEUM WEBSITE, EMAIL AND TELEPHONE.
named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Educational Programs for School Children
Offers workshops and educational visits for students focused on the history and science of the trotting horse; served over 1,200 students annually in recent years
Harness Racing Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony
Annual public event honoring distinguished contributors to Standardbred racing; part of the museum's educational and cultural programming
Library and Research Services
Provides research support, articles, and photographs to the public and scholars; responded to dozens of research requests annually via website, email, and phone
activities · 10 groups

What they do

  • Community Event Fundraising 1 activity
    • Conduct fundraising through annual restoration raffle
      Hosts an annual Restoration Raffle whose proceeds support the care, conservation, and preservation of art and artifacts in the museum’s historic collection.
  • Equine Education and Riding Instruction 1 activity
    • Deliver educational programs and workshops
      Provides school programs integrating the Standardbred horse and harness racing into lessons on mathematics, history, science, and language arts; hosts family workshops, scout programs, children’s birthday parties, and educational events featuring crafts, games, tours, and simulator rides, serving over 1,220 students annually, including 364 in specialized workshops.
  • Equestrian Competition and Recognition Programs 1 activity
    • Host annual Harness Racing Hall of Fame induction ceremonies
      Conducts annual induction ceremonies on the first Sunday in July at the museum in Goshen, NY, including inductions into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame, Communicators Hall of Fame, and Living Horse Hall of Fame, with public events, awards presentations, commemorative displays, and statuettes for inductees.
  • Museum-Based Educational Outreach 1 activity
    • Host traveling exhibits
      Provides free traveling exhibits that have reached over 1.2 million people across North America and Europe, extending educational outreach beyond the physical museum.
  • Guided Historic Site Tours 1 activity
    • Offer group tours and reserved programming
      Provides guided group tours for bus tours, senior groups, and organized clubs at $15 per person, lasting up to two hours and available on weekdays between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., with reserved group pricing and customized education programs available upon request.
  • Museum and Historical Gift Shops 1 activity
    • Operate museum gift shop and sell educational merchandise
      Sells educational items and unique horse-related merchandise through an on-site gift shop open during regular museum hours.
  • Local History Museum Operations 1 activity
    • Operate public museum dedicated to harness racing history
      Operates a 38,000 square foot accessible museum facility in Goshen, New York, open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., hosting approximately 17,000 to over 20,000 annual visitors who engage with permanent and interactive exhibits, including fine art, historical memorabilia, informative films, and a 3-D harness racing simulator.
  • Historic Aviation and Transportation Museums 1 activity
    • Preserve and manage historical collections
      Maintains and conserves a permanent collection of over 40,000 to 70,000 historical items related to harness racing, including photographs, textiles, fine art, horse-drawn vehicles, archival library materials, and the world's largest collection of Currier & Ives trotting prints.
  • Event Venue Rental Services 1 activity
    • Provide event and venue rentals
      Hosts private and corporate events including weddings, banquets, birthdays, graduations, baby showers, bar/bat mitzvahs, meetings, and training seminars in Haughton Hall and outdoor grounds, accommodating up to 120 guests indoors and larger gatherings outdoors, with rental packages including audiovisual equipment, furniture, and exhibit access.
  • Historical and Genealogical Research 1 activity
    • Support research and respond to public inquiries
      Responds to research requests related to harness racing history via website, email, and telephone, supporting scholarly and public interest in the sport and its heritage.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.69M
Contributions & grants$789K47%
Program service revenue$127K8%
Investment income$730K43%
Other revenue$39K
expenses
Total expenses$1.27M
Program expenses72%
Admin / overhead20%
Fundraising8%
Salaries & benefits$786K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$9.49M
Cash$3K
Investments$8.81M
Liabilities$383K
Net assets$9.11M
Liquid reserves83.5 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +20.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
JANET T TERHUNE DIRECTOR 40 $157K
board members · 24
  • DAVID H MCDUFFEE — TRUSTEE
  • DAVID P REID — TRUSTEE
  • ELBRIDGE T GERRY JR — TRUSTEE
  • ELIZABETH CALDWELL — TRUSTEE
  • FRANK ANTONACCI — TRUSTEE
  • JAMES W SIMPSON — TRUSTEE
  • JAY E FARRAR — TRUSTEE
  • JIMMY W TAKTER — TRUSTEE
  • JOHN D CAMPBELL — TRUSTEE
  • JOHN M EGLOFF DVM — TRUSTEE
  • KARYN MALINOWSKI — TRUSTEE
  • KATHY PARKER — SECRETARY
  • LAWRENCE S DEVAN — TRUSTEE
  • MARVIN KATZ — TRUSTEE
  • MAX J HEMPT — PRESIDENT
  • MITCHEL SKOLNICK — TRUSTEE
  • ROBERT M BONI — TRUSTEE
  • ROGER E HUSTON — TRUSTEE
  • RUSSELL C WILLIAMS — TRUSTEE
  • SETH ROSENFELD — TREASURER
  • STEPHEN E OLDFORD — VICE PRESIDENT
  • STEVE JONES — TRUSTEE
  • THEODORE GEWERTZ — TRUSTEE
  • THOMAS A CHARTERS — TRUSTEE
relationships · 25

Who they work with

  • Allan's Falafel Partner — Approved caterer with liquor license and liability insurance for events at the museum.
  • Amazon.com Partner — Platform for ordering books published or promoted by the museum.
  • Country Club at Otterkill Partner — Approved caterer with liquor license and liability insurance for events at the museum.
  • Delancey's Partner — Approved caterer with liquor license and liability insurance for events at the museum.
  • Freehold Raceway Partner — Engages with industry professionals such as the Program Manager from Freehold Raceway, indicating a connection to active harness racing venues.
  • Good Time Stable Partner — Original Tudor-style stable building repurposed as the museum's permanent location in Goshen, New York
  • Goshen Historic Track Partner — Partner site for combined museum and live racing visits.
  • Graze Partner — Approved caterer with liquor license and liability insurance for events at the museum.
  • Harness Horse Youth Foundation Partner — Collaborates with or references the Harness Horse Youth Foundation in supporting youth engagement with harness racing.
  • INNcredible Caterers Partner — Approved caterer with liquor license and liability insurance for events at the museum.
  • Meadowlands Partner — Partner site for combined museum and live racing visits.
  • Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs Partner — Partner site for combined museum and live racing visits.
  • Monticello Raceway Partner — Partner site for combined museum and live racing visits.
  • Orange Tourism Partner — Collaborates to promote local tourism in Orange County.
  • Pamela's Traveling Feast Partner — Approved caterer with liquor license and liability insurance for events at the museum.
  • ShortLine Bus Partner — Partner organization providing bus transportation options for museum visitors.
  • Simply Gourmet Partner — Approved caterer with liquor license and liability insurance for events at the museum.
  • The Fearless Cooking Co. Partner — Approved caterer with liquor license and liability insurance for events at the museum.
  • Truly Scrumptious Catering Partner — Approved caterer with liquor license and liability insurance for events at the museum.
  • United States Harness Writers Association Partner — Collaborates with USHWA in the nomination and election process for the Living Hall of Fame, including ballot distribution to its members.
  • United States Harness Writers Association Partner — Collaborates with USHWA on the annual Hall of Fame nomination and election process.
  • United States Harness Writers Association Partner — Jointly administers the Hall of Fame Screening Committee for inductions into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame.
  • United States Trotting Association Partner — Collaborates on membership benefits, offering joint members free admission to the museum.
  • Wallkill Golf Club Partner — Approved caterer with liquor license and liability insurance for events at the museum.
  • Yonkers Raceway Partner — Partner site for combined museum and live racing visits.
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.

  • Educational Engagement Through Experiential and Interdisciplinary Learning
    methodology: experiential_education
    By combining experiential activities like horse-related games and crafts with interdisciplinary classroom connections, the museum strengthens learning and retention, because hands-on engagement and real-world relevance deepen understanding and foster lasting intergenerational connection to the subject.
  • Heritage Preservation Through Archival Storytelling and Adaptive Reuse
    methodology: heritage_preservation
    By curating archival materials into accessible narratives and repurposing historic stable architecture into museum spaces, the organization strengthens regional identity and preservation, because connecting physical and cultural heritage to lived stories deepens public resonance and authenticity.
  • Membership-Driven Sustainability Model
    methodology: membership-driven sustainability
    By offering benefits like free admission and fostering long-term engagement, membership dues provide sustainable operating support, because recurring contributions reduce reliance on volatile funding sources and align community investment with mission longevity.
  • Peer-Reviewed Honorific Recognition System
    methodology: peer-review_selection
    By using a committee of experts and trustees to evaluate Hall of Fame nominees based on character and achievement, the museum ensures legitimacy and preserves cultural legacy, because peer-reviewed selection reinforces credibility and upholds the sport’s values across generations.