Trustees of the Berkshire Museum

What it reported doing in 2024

See schedule oexhibitions: following are descriptions of the exhibitions presented by the museum in 2024 - painted pages: illuminated manuscripts of the 13th to 18th centuriesincluding more than thirty-five works-some with elaborate gold leaf decoration and intricate, ornament- from medieval bibles, prayer books, psalters, books of hours, choir books, missals, breviaries, and lectionaries drawn from the collection of the reading public museum in reading, Pennsylvania, who organized the exhibition. Also featured in the exhibit are examples of the materials- parchment, vellum, gold leaf, and minerals which were ground into pigments and used by artists before the age of printed books to create these extraordinary pages. Painted pages: illuminated manuscripts, 13th - 18th centuries, is organized by the reading public museum, reading, Pennsylvania.120th: planning for the future - 1979-2024the third and final installment of the museum's 3-part exhibition series highlighting the history of the museum in celebration of the institution's 120th anniversary in 2023. The final installation of three exhibitions celebrating the 120th anniversary of berkshire museum, this exhibition will detail the last 45 years of the museum. Themes include a spotlight on how the 1903 museum has remained relevant from the 1980s to today, the departure of general electric and the subsequent impact on the economy of pittsfield and its citizens, the sale of artworks to preserve and maintain the museum, and the museum's plans for the future. The works on view will be highlights from the collection - historic objects, paintings, and contemporary art. Black woman as museblack woman as muse contains forty large-scale black and white photographs of african american women from all walks of life, posed and photographed in the style of the golden age of hollywood. Photographer jerry taliaferro has selected these photographs from hundreds he has taken for more than two decades.imaging women in the space ageimaging women in the space age showcases the achievements of america's pioneering female astronauts and highlights achievements of pioneering and current female astronauts. From the earliest moon goddesses to today's galactic fashions, visions of females in space have sparked the creative imagination. On display in the exhibition are vintage and current images of female space travelers in television shows like lost in space and star trek, photographs of space-inspired fashions including pucci's designs for braniff airlines flight attendants and chanel's 2017 futuristic dresses, and screenshots from films like barbarella (1968) starring jane fonda and gravity (2013), which starred sandra bullock. The exhibition reminds us of the groundbreaking achievements of pioneering astronauts with photographs of sally ride, america's first woman in space; mae jemison, america's first african american female astronaut; and ellen ochoa, america's first hispanic woman to go into space. The exhibition also reflects a world where important changes are underway as more and more women are participating in nasa's space program as astronauts and as astronautical engineers. It reveals innovative new developments in space suits specifically designed for women.the wild indoors: the animal art of julie bellafter studying art in college, julie bell dabbled in children's book illustration and raised two children, anthony and david palumbo (successful artists in their own right). Later, bell pursued a career in bodybuilding, becoming a nationally ranked competitor. In 1989 she began modeling for well-known fantasy artist boris vallejo and was inspired to return to art. In january 1992 her work appeared on the cover of heavy metal magazine. Since then, bell has created advertisements for numerous companies, designed video game packaging art, and found work in the comic book industry, where she became the first woman to illustrate conan the barbarian for marvel comics. The animal art of julie bell

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 99.9%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 74.2%; rating input score 74
• Fundraising efficiency: $1.58 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 4; 4th 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: Missing
  • 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: 88.2%; rating input score 88; 19th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 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: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 35.9%; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 20.89; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 4.6%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 3% per year; rating input score 100; 27th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4.4% per year; rating input score 100; 37th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 12.8% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings