American Museum of the Moving Image

Overview

Mission

See schedule omuseum of the moving image (momi) is the only museum in the u.s. That explores the central technology of the present moment.screens are all around us. We use them to educate, entertain, and communicate. The moving image-encompassing film, television, video games, and other forms of digital media-shapes how we see and feel the world. With exhibitions? And screenings on the art, history, technique, and science of the moving image, momi presents the real and imagined worlds of our past, present, and future. With ground-breaking education programs, digital literacy initiatives, and cutting-edge media labs, momi is not just a museum but also a place where we can all make sense of the forces and experiences that create our shared reality. Momi is an open world in the heart of both astoria, nyc, and our entire creative community.

What it reported doing in 2024

Screenings, events, and online projects: each year the museum screens more than 500 films, presenting a panoramic view of the moving image, with live music for silent films, restored prints from the world's leading archives, and new films from the international festival circuit, the museum's screening program provides a state-of-the-art, immersive viewing experience for visitors. Annual programs that continued in fiscal year 2025 included the 14th annual edition of first look, which introduced audiences to works from around the world, encompassing feature and short films, fiction and nonfiction, and performances and experiments; and see it big, the museum's regular showcase of films that are meant to be seen on the big screen, with programs devoted to 70mm films and holiday films. Wide-ranging programs presented in fiscal year 2025 included personal belongings: first- person documentary in the 1990s and the magic of oz: a frank oz retrospective. As part of open worlds, a 15,500 square-foot, wi-fi-enabled, free community resource for visitors to convene, find creative inspiration, and experience new media technologies, the museum presented free programs focusing on the craft behind moving images, puppeteering workshops, and live music and dance celebrations . The museum's website, movingimage.org, is a repository of moving image related material and lore and features the online journals reverse shot and sloan science & film, which continue to publish works exploring the past, present, and future of the moving image, and the intersection of science and cinema, respectively.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
112730714
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Astoria, NY, USA
Phone
7187776800
Rating
76
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Museum, Museum Activities

Official website

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and assets have declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 65
  • Transparency & Controls: 79
  • Accountability: 98
  • Sustainability: 59
  • Growth: 80

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 60.6%; rating input score 61
  • Program expense ratio: 79.6%; rating input score 80
  • Fundraising efficiency: $11.94 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 96.7%; rating input score 97; 30th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 25.8%; rating input score 86; 86th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.2; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.42; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 12.3%; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 1.2% per year; rating input score 100; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 1% per year; rating input score 100; 12th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -1.8% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 60.6% of revenue deployed · 79.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 29 of 30 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $7.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $352K · 34 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 3 contractors listed · $477K reported
  • Consistency: 37 of 37 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 annual filings from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 6 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

34 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • AZIZ ISHAM (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $351,799 total reported compensation
  • CHRISTINA KARAHALIOS (COO AND CFO): $265,103 total reported compensation
  • BARBARA MILLER (DEPUTY DIRECTOR): $170,741 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.