About American Museum of Natural History
The AMNH Collections form the core of its activities in scientific research, education, and exhibition.
Focus Areas
natural history researchbiodiversity and conservationscience educationmuseum exhibitionscollections management
Who They Fund
urban K-12 studentsplanetarium staff and operatorsscience educators and museum educatorsinformal STEM learning institutions (e.g., planetariums, museums)
Funding Style
facility maintenance supportcollaborative research funding
About American Museum of Natural History
A defining thread in American Museum of Natural History grantmaking is support for the museum’s own planetarium operations and for Urban Advantage, the New York City science-education partnership it funds repeatedly. One of the largest recent grants went to American Museum of Natural History PA in New York for "MAINTAIN PLANETARIUM," while repeated Urban Advantage awards have gone to the Wildlife Conservation Society-Bronx Zoo, New York Hall of Science, Staten Island Zoo, New York Botanical Garden, and Brooklyn Botanic Garden Corp. These grants show a funder that concentrates on museum-based science education, informal STEM learning, and institutional capacity tied to its collections and outreach work. The foundation also backs collaborative research connected to education and science programming, with awards to universities and research institutions including New York University, the University of Utah, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Temple University, Cornell University, and the Research Foundation of SUNY. Its grantmaking aligns with the museum’s scientific research, biodiversity, conservation, education, and exhibition activities, and it supports both internal operations and partner organizations that deliver STEM learning to urban students and educators.
What American Museum of Natural History Funds
Urban science education is a major theme. The foundation gave $582,026 in 2024, $566,042 in 2023, and $433,906 in 2025 to Wildlife Conservation Society-Bronx Zoo for Urban Advantage, and also supported New York Hall of Science, Staten Island Zoo, New York Botanical Garden, and Brooklyn Botanic Garden Corp under the same program. Collaborative research is another clear lane: New York University received $343,064 in 2025 and $254,182 in 2024 for Collab Research, while the University of Utah received $370,704 in 2025 and $231,172 in 2023. Museum and planetarium operations also appear in the grant list through support for maintaining the planetarium at American Museum of Natural History PA. The funded work is tied to informal STEM learning, science outreach, and research partnerships rather than individual awards.
How American Museum of Natural History Gives
Typical grant size sits at a median of $44,872, with a lower quartile of $19,850 and an upper quartile of $111,889. The recent grants list shows repeated awards to the same organizations across multiple years, especially for Urban Advantage and Collab Research, which points to ongoing partnership-based funding rather than isolated one-off grants. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Recent awards also include both large operational support and smaller project grants, suggesting a mixed pattern of institutional support and program-specific funding.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$4.3M
Total Assets
$1.7B
Total Revenue
$246.8M
Total Expenses
$278.6M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $20K and $112K, with a median of $45K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$45K
75th Percentile
$112K
Geographic Reach
Regional15 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
SEAN M DECATUR
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