San Diego Museum of Art

What it reported doing in 2024

Exhibitions: the museum presented a broad range of exhibitions during the year. These were created from the museum's own collection, as well as borrowed from other museums and lenders. Wonders of creation: art, science, and innovation in the islamic world, garry winogrand: man of the crowd, ruud van empel, fosters + partners: architecture of light and space, william groper: american agitator, prix pictet: human, and women in focus were some of the exhibitions presented during fiscal year 2025.wonders of creation: this sweeping special exhibition explored the dynamic intersections of art, science, and innovation across the islamic world from the eighth century to the present. Inspired by a thirteenth-century illustrated cosmography that frames wonder as a way to comprehend the universe, the presentation brought together over 200 works from manuscripts, maps, and scientific instruments to contemporary artworks illuminating the global influence of islamic intellectual and visual culture. The installation married historical artifacts with newly commissioned contemporary works, encouraging visitors to traverse celestial and terrestrial realms and consider humanity's role within them.garry winogrand: a major photography exhibition showcasing the vivid, kinetic street photography of garry winogrand, one of the defining american photographers of the twentieth century. Known for his agile use of the leica camera and his intuitive compositional style, winogrand's work in this show spanned key projects from his prolific career. Images of urban life, protest scenes, and chance encounters on american streets captured the energy and social upheaval of the 1960s and '70s, revealing his enduring interest in the human subject and public space.ruud van empel: this exhibition presented the richly imaginative work of dutch photographer ruud van empel, whose meticulously constructed digital images occupy a space between photographic realism and artifice. Built from thousands of fragments of his own photographs, these hyper-detailed compositions invite viewers into dreamlike landscapes that both celebrate and challenge perceptions of nature, memory, and photographic truth. The works blending lush flora, complex color, and uncanny figures encouraged deep engagement with the constructed world of photographic illusion.foster + partners: a multidisciplinary exhibition highlighting the celebrated architectural practice of foster + partners, led by sir norman foster. The show invited audiences to explore the firm's design philosophies, particularly its focus on light, space, sustainability, and innovation. Architectural models, drawings, and conceptual plans illustrated how the studio approaches the integration of form and environment, including visions for the museum's own west wing transformation positioning architecture as a balance of engineering, artistry, and environmental consciousness. William gropper: this retrospective celebrated the incisive voice of american social realist william gropper, whose career spanned political cartoons, paintings, and prints marked by sharp satire and a commitment to social justice. Born in New York city's lower east side, gropper chronicled american life with wit and critique, targeting institutional hypocrisy, labor issues, and political spectacle. The exhibition highlighted his enduring engagement with democracy and dissent, affirming his place as an artist who used visual art as a form of civic engagement.pric pictet: at the museum of photographic arts (part of the sdma campus), the prix pictet: human exhibition brought to san diego the international photography award's latest cycle focused on humanity's role in an era of environmental and societal change. Featuring work by a global shortlist of photographers recognized for their powerful visual narratives on sustainability and human experience, the exhibition underscored photography's ability to provoke reflection on collective responsibility and environmental

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 90.1%; rating input score 90
• Program expense ratio: 63.3%; rating input score 63
• Fundraising efficiency: $7.53 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
• Grant itemization coverage: Scored; rating input score 0
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th 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: -12.2%; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.82; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 11.9%; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 1.2% per year; rating input score 100; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4.6% per year; rating input score 100; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 0.5% per year; rating input score 100; 12th percentile among comparable filings