irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2021
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $13KOpen House New York (ran 5 tours). Janes Walk tour with the Municipal Art Society,
- #2 $6KCocktails & Conversations - Conducted 4 virtual programs with the Center of Architecture. Visual presentations for LMHQ of lower Manhattan, art and architecture around courthouses for Women in the Bar Association and NYU Urban Futures for Harvard Club of NY Arch & Design Special Interest Group
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Cocktails & Conversations
Hosts virtual and in-person programs featuring discussions on architecture and design with professional associations and academic groups
Museum Without Walls
Curates digital and physical walking tours that present historical and cultural narratives of urban sites, treating the city as an open-air museum
Open House New York
Organizes architectural tours and events that provide public access to notable buildings and urban design sites in New York City
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Menstrual Health and Hygiene Equity 1 activity
- Historical presentation of early consumer health productsHighlights the 1859 sale and marketing of medicated toilet paper made from Manila hemp and aloe, sold in flat sheets at 1,000 per dollar from a business at 41 Ann Street, as an early example of consumer health innovation.
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Historic Site Public Programming 1 activity
- Public programming and tours on urban history and innovationConducts in-person and virtual public programs, including Open House New York tours, Janes Walk tours, and "Cocktails & Conversations" events in collaboration with organizations such as the Municipal Art Society and the Center of Architecture, to engage the public with urban history and design.
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Uncategorized 8 activities
- Advocacy through trademark historyRecognizes the registration of Federal Trademark No. 1,000,000 for Sweet'N Low as a milestone in intellectual property history, emphasizing the cultural and legal significance of trademarking in innovation.
- Curated daily features on historical innovationsHighlights significant historical inventions and demonstrations through daily site content, such as Elisha Otis’s 1854 elevator safety brake demonstration and Menotti Nanni’s floating safe, to educate the public about innovation in urban contexts.
- Documentation and research on historical patents and inventionsConducts research and presents historical documentation on key inventions and their patents, including Philip Drinker’s iron lung respirator, Edward Calahan’s stock ticker, and innovations in pasta-making and tea bag design, often referencing original patent diagrams and filings.
- Documentation of early tattoo culture and innovation in New YorkProfiles the operation of the Tattoo Emporium in Lower Manhattan, the development of Bowery Ink, and the legacy of a distinctive patriotic-cartoon tattoo style passed through generations, highlighting cultural innovation in urban settings.
- Highlighting the development of artificial sweetenersDocuments the 1957 invention of Sweet'N Low by the Cumberland Packing Corporation of Brooklyn, a calorie-free sugar substitute, as a significant innovation in food technology.
- Historical documentation of elevator innovationDetails the installation of the first public passenger elevator in 1857 at the E.V. Haughwout & Co. department store and the 1854 public demonstration of the elevator safety brake by Elisha Otis at the Crystal Palace, underscoring key advancements in urban infrastructure.
- Historical interpretation of the Patent Act of 1790Provides educational content on the significance of the Patent Act of 1790, emphasizing its role in establishing inventor rights, codifying constitutional authority, and creating an examination system for patents.
- Promotion of historical impact of the Linotype machineDocuments and disseminates information about the development, manufacture, and social impact of the Linotype machine, including its invention by Ottmar Mergenthaler, production in Brooklyn, and influence on journalism and labor movements.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$56K
Contributions & grants$56K100%
Program service revenue$110%
Investment income$150%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$368K
Program expenses95%
Admin / overhead4%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$137K
Grants paid out—
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$53K
Cash$279K
Investments$36K
Liabilities$260K
Net assets$-652K
Liquid reserves10.3 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue -83.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
board members · 9
- John Herzog — Board member
- Josh Powell — Board member
- Julie Reker — Board member
- Mark Favermann — Board member
- Merrie Webel — Board member
- Rahul Mehrotra — Board Member
- Stephen Johnson — Board member
- Tom Glendening — Board member
- Wellington Chen — Board member
relationships · 16
Who they work with
- American Telegraph Company Partner — Collaborated with Edward Calahan on the invention of the original stock ticker.
- Center of Architecture Partner — Co-hosted 4 virtual Cocktails & Conversations programs
- Consolidated Macaroni Machine Corporation Partner — Manufactured the Automatic Short Paste Drying Unit and produced pasta-making machinery for the U.S. pasta industry.
- Crystal Palace Partner — Hosted a public demonstration of the Otis safety brake in 1854.
- Cumberland Packing Corporation Partner — Registered Federal Trademark No. 1,000,000 for Sweet'N Low in its name.
- E.V. Haughwout & Co. Partner — Partnered with Otis to install the first public passenger elevator in 1857.
- Gold and Stock Telegraph Co Partner — Partnered with Edward Callahan on the development of a telegraphic device for displaying stock prices.
- Harvard Club of NY Arch & Design Special Interest Group Partner — Received programming in collaboration with NYU Urban Futures
- LMHQ Partner — Received visual presentations on art and architecture in lower Manhattan
- Menotti Nanni Partner — Collaborated with inventor Menotti Nanni on the demonstration of his floating safe invention.
- Municipal Art Society Partner — Collaborated on Janes Walk tour as part of Open House New York programming
- NYU Urban Futures Partner — Collaborated on programming for Harvard Club of NY Arch & Design Special Interest Group
- Ottmar Mergenthaler Partner — Inventor and developer of the Linotype machine, whose work is highlighted by CultureNow
- Sam Roberts Partner — Collaborates with journalist Sam Roberts, whose text from "101 Objects" is featured on the site.
- Wagner Partner — Trained multiple tattoo artists including William Moskowitz, Millie Hull, and influenced Bob Wicks' artistic development.
- Women in the Bar Association Partner — Received visual presentations on art and architecture around courthouses
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.
- Historical-Legal Framing to Legitimize Innovationmethodology: historical-legal-framingBy linking technological innovation to constitutional and legal milestones, the organization builds cultural legitimacy for new inventions, because historical framing positions innovation as a protected and essential American value.
- Public Health as Product Positioningmethodology: public_health_advocacy_through_product_marketingBy marketing hygiene products with medical claims and public health messaging, the organization increases adoption and behavioral change, because positioning everyday items as health interventions enhances perceived necessity and safety.
- Safety-First Engineering Enables Urban Transformationmethodology: safety-first_engineeringBy prioritizing fail-safe safety mechanisms in engineering, the organization enables transformative infrastructure like tall buildings, because public trust in safety allows for radical shifts in urban design and technology adoption.
- Urban Environment as Interconnected Cultural Lensmethodology: cultural-tourism-and-arts-educationBy presenting cities as open-air galleries that integrate art, architecture, and history, the organization fosters public understanding and engagement, because interconnected cultural narratives make urban spaces more accessible and meaningful to diverse audiences.