Adler Planetarium: FY2024 Nonprofit Profile & Form 990 (EIN 36-6210902)

Michelle B Larson PHD’s $546K as Former President & CEO (thru 3/25) is at the 82nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 749 $10–100M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

Name	FY2025	FY2024	FY2023	FY2022	FY2021	FY2020
Michelle B Larson PHD	$545,930	$517,793	$422,733	—	—	—
Michelle B Larson	—	—	—	$417,804	$406,234	$425,988
Marcia J Heuser	—	—	—	$231,116	$223,950	$222,519
Audris Wong	$230,448	$222,529	$61,005	—	—	—
Cathleen Brueggemann	—	—	$182,558	$229,211	$223,107	$220,157
Ryutaro Mizuno	$223,920	$217,252	$207,246	$188,578	$181,328	$178,835
Laura Trouille	$196,413	$186,534	$156,919	$158,903	$151,041	$148,363
Andrew Johnston	$186,797	$178,334	$156,457	$158,566	$151,207	$149,363

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Connects people to the universe and each other through shared sky experiences.

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1 program · $12.7M · in their own filed words · FY2023

01

Whether the adler planetarium is introducing a guest to the ring nebula, a neighborhood school to a community partner, a research team to a network of citizen scientists, or one staff member to another, the museum's focus on meaningful connections dates back nearly a century.

$12.7Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid

Grants received · FY2025

Ulta Beauty Charitable FoundationFY2025$150K

Canmann Family FoundationFY2025$180

Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$150K

Grants paid · 13 grants · $66K · 2023–2024

Unitemized GrantFY2024$9,900

Unitemized GrantFY2024$7,800

Unitemized GrantFY2024$6,850

Unitemized GrantFY2024$2,500

Unitemized GrantFY2024$2,486

Unitemized GrantFY2024$2,000

Unitemized GrantFY2024$660

Unitemized GrantFY2023$11,215

Unitemized GrantFY2023$9,540

Unitemized GrantFY2023$7,930

Unitemized GrantFY2023$2,250

Unitemized GrantFY2023$2,000

Unitemized GrantFY2023$450

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

Download 990

from philanthropy.org

1The main four

Money inPt VIII

$17.3M

Ln 12

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.9M

Fees for servicesLn 2g$6.3M

Investment incomeLn 3$1.7M

Money outPt IX

$19.0M

Ln 25

Programscol B$12.7M

Managementcol C$5.2M

Fundraisingcol D$1.1M

Owns and owesPt X

$39.0M

net assets · Ln 32

Cash and savingsLn 1–2$9.7M

Total assetsLn 16$68.8M

LiabilitiesLn 26$29.8M

PeoplePt VI, VII

69

listed · VII A

PaidVII A10

Voting boardVI 1a54

IndependentVI 1b54

2In more detail

Revenue in detailPt VIII

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.9M

Government grantsLn 1e$3.5M

Noncash giftsLn 1g$158K

Fundraising eventsLn 1c$902K

Fees for servicesLn 2g$6.3M

Investment incomeLn 3$1.7M

Other incomeLn 4–11$1.4M

Gains on assetsLn 7$301K

Total revenueLn 12$17.3M

Assets in detailPt X, end of year

CashLn 1$83K

SavingsLn 2$9.6M

Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$9.7M

InvestmentsLn 11–13$38.3M

Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$19.5M

Other assetsLn 15$0

Total assetsLn 16$68.8M

LiabilitiesLn 26$29.8M

Net assetsLn 32$39.0M

OperationsPt I, VI

EmployeesI 5278

VolunteersI 6354

Fiscal year endsHeaderJune

Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes

Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes

Records policyVI 14Yes

3Year over year

Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B

Line	Start FY24	End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2	$10.5M	$9.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13	$34.3M	$38.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c	$19.8M	$19.5M
Total assetsLn 16	$67.1M	$68.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26	$31.0M	$29.8M
Net assetsLn 32	$36.2M	$39.0M

4Every line

Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line

Line	Total	Programs	Management	Fundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2	$33K	$33K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5	$1.4M	$599K	$550K	$215K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7	$7.0M	$5.0M	$1.7M	$279K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8	$1.9M	$156K	$1.7M	$13K
Other employee benefitsLn 9	$778K	$515K	$220K	$44K
Payroll taxesLn 10	$639K	$449K	$159K	$31K
Legal feesLn 11b	$47K		$47K
Accounting feesLn 11c	$89K		$89K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e	$142K			$142K
Investment management feesLn 11f	$65K		$65K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g	$1.5M	$834K	$324K	$324K
Advertising and promotionLn 12	$64K	$18K	$19K	$27K
Office expensesLn 13	$508K	$436K	$58K	$13K
Information technologyLn 14	$225K	$178K	$40K	$7K
OccupancyLn 16	$962K	$925K	$30K	$7K
TravelLn 17	$117K	$93K	$17K	$8K
InterestLn 20	$643K	$643K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22	$2.0M	$2.0M	$10K	$3K
InsuranceLn 23	$252K	$241K	$8K	$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24	$556K	$484K	$51K	$21K
All other expensesLn 24e	$92K	$51K	$39K	$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25	$19.0M	$12.7M	$5.2M	$1.1M

Filing history

Year	Money in	Money out	In minus out	Net assets	Download
FY2025 Latest	$22.0M	$17.5M	$4.5M	$42.9M	990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing	$17.3M	$19.0M	−$1.7M	$39.0M	990 PDF
FY2023	$18.8M	$16.0M	$2.7M	$36.2M	990 PDF
FY2022	$24.2M	$14.5M	$9.8M	$29.5M	990 PDF
FY2021	$11.5M	$13.1M	−$1.6M	$23.7M	990 PDF
FY2020	$15.9M	$19.3M	−$3.4M	$16.5M	990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations

See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)

Part I · Summary $17,286,761 revenue, 12 lines filed

I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $9,837,130$7,878,126

I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $6,176,636$6,290,218

I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,035,581$1,681,066

I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,724,849$1,437,351

I-12 Total revenuePrior year $18,774,196$17,286,761

I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$33,385

I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0

I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $9,369,139$11,688,396

I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$142,392

I-17 Other expensesPrior year $6,663,634$7,144,760

I-18 Total expensesPrior year $16,032,773$19,008,933

I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $2,741,423−$1,722,172

Part VI · Governance 54 of 54 board members independent, no flags

VI-1a Voting members of the governing body54

VI-1b Independent voting members54

VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo

VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes

VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes

VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes

VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes

Part VIII · Statement of revenue $17,286,761 across 13 lines filed

VIII-1b Membership dues$176,702

VIII-1c Fundraising events$901,559

VIII-1e Government grants$3,510,662

VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$3,289,203

VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$158,359

VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$7,878,126

VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $6,290,218 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$6,290,218

VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,380,167$1,380,167

VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $1,058,659$1,058,659

VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $300,899$300,899

VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$117,438−$117,438

VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Unrelated business $5,365 · Excluded from tax $490,765$496,130

VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $6,290,218 · Unrelated business $5,365 · Excluded from tax $3,113,052$17,286,761

Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $19,008,933 across 21 lines filed

IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $33,385$33,385

IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $598,518 · Management $549,560 · Fundraising $215,128$1,363,206

IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $4,994,874 · Management $1,731,746 · Fundraising $279,452$7,006,072

IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $156,470 · Management $1,732,672 · Fundraising $12,813$1,901,955

IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $514,522 · Management $219,618 · Fundraising $43,739$777,879

IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $449,286 · Management $159,156 · Fundraising $30,842$639,284

IX-11b Legal feesManagement $47,151$47,151

IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $88,980$88,980

IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $142,392$142,392

IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $65,108$65,108

IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $834,206 · Management $323,759 · Fundraising $323,756$1,481,721

IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $18,181 · Management $18,864 · Fundraising $27,250$64,295

IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $436,447 · Management $58,409 · Fundraising $13,342$508,198

IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $177,666 · Management $40,213 · Fundraising $6,646$224,525

IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $925,342 · Management $29,933 · Fundraising $6,997$962,272

IX-17 TravelPrograms $92,690 · Management $17,024 · Fundraising $7,576$117,290

IX-20 InterestPrograms $642,629$642,629

IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $2,030,489 · Management $9,923 · Fundraising $2,804$2,043,216

IX-23 InsurancePrograms $241,315 · Management $7,969 · Fundraising $2,252$251,536

IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $483,937 · Management $50,706 · Fundraising $20,960$555,603

IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $51,320 · Management $39,384 · Fundraising $1,532$92,236

IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $12,681,277 · Management $5,190,175 · Fundraising $1,137,481$19,008,933

Part X · Balance sheet $68,795,804 assets, 20 lines filed

X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $153,562$82,760

X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $10,337,573$9,640,557

X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,821,396$383,664

X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $356,091$527,465

X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $324,732$384,257

X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $19,824,650$19,503,433

X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $32,150,648$36,369,746

X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $2,164,765$1,903,922

X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0

X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$0

X-16 Total assetsStart of year $67,133,417$68,795,804

X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,667,050$1,799,577

X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $998,247$993,416

X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $27,000,000$27,000,000

X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $1,289,521$29,801

X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $30,954,818$29,822,794

X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $24,445,100$29,060,532

X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $11,733,499$9,912,478

X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $36,178,599$38,973,010

X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $67,133,417$68,795,804

Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $38,973,010 net assets at year end

XI-1 Total revenue$17,286,761

XI-2 Total expenses$19,008,933

XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$1,722,172

XI-4 Net assets at start of year$36,178,599

XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$2,844,479

XI-9 Other changes in net assets$1,672,104

XI-10 Net assets at end of year$38,973,010

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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Adler Planetarium FY2024 filing

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