The Rhode Island Historical Society

What it reported doing in 2024

Museum program - the rihs operates two museums, the john brown house museum and the museum of work and culture, as well as operating the aldrich house, which serves as its headquarters, event venue, and educational space. The museum of work and culture also serves as an unofficial visitors' center for the blackstone river valley. In addition, the john brown house museum serves as the primary location of our museum artifacts, which number over 20,000. In 2022, a gallery space in the jbh was dedicated to annual displays related to the "road to revolution," culminating in 2026 (the 250th of the declaration of independence). The first display was on the burning of the british customs ship gaspee (2022), the second display was on Rhode Island and the history of sugar as a commodity (2023/24) and the final display in 2025 was on women's roles in revolutionary Rhode Island. Concurrently, in 2023 the rihs began reinterpreting the jbh from a house museum into a series of historical galleries situating Rhode Island in global contexts, using recent works of scholarship as interpretive authorities. The theme "Rhode Island and the world to 1850" will, by the end of 2026, be realized. Our current galleries include topics relating to the history of the business of enslavement in Rhode Island, mahogany as a commodity, mary williams (the wife of Rhode Island's founder) and her milieu, the china trade, and a gallery on how the bicentennial impacted the creation and interpretation of house museums and preservation in providence. During fy 2025, the museum of work and culture launched the development of a new immersive and interactive exhibit entitled welcome to the neighborhood. Throughout the fiscal year, staff focused on research, content development, and fundraising efforts to support the project. As part of the exhibit's community-centered approach, the museum conducted several interviews with community members representing diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds to ensure the exhibit reflects authentic voices and lived experiences. During the course of the fiscal year, the museum also presented five changing exhibits in its landmark medical center changing gallery. Charting history: navigating the currents of Rhode Island's past (opened july 2024) contained a series of panels developed through a partnership between the newport historical society and the rihs. In september 2024, welcome blanket opened to roaring success, showcasing more than 300 handmade blankets from makers from all over the us. The exhibit was complemented by numerous programs and talks, and the blankets were donated to a local charity. In december, the museum displayed a collection of historical toys from the rihs collections. A water-related event in january 2025 caused the museum to close for three and a half months during restoration. During that time, the museum continued to offer remote tours and held its public programs in other locations. Upon re-opening, the museum hosted an exhibit celebrating the ri day of portugal. This was followed in june by the woonsocket proud exhibit created by woonsocket public school 5th graders.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 97.8%; rating input score 98
• Program expense ratio: 71.5%; rating input score 71
• Fundraising efficiency: $6.63 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 5.2%; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 8.44; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 73; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 8.3%; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 6.7% per year; rating input score 100; 49th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -0.2% per year; rating input score 0; 11th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 5.5% per year; rating input score 100; 37th percentile among comparable filings