Non-profit entity recognizes Catalina Island Museum for transparency
Courtesy photo
The Catalina Island Museum has earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency, the highest level of recognition offered by GuideStar, the world’s largest source of information on nonprofit organizations. Used by millions of people each year, GuideStar advances nonprofit financial transparency by sharing information (Guidestar.com) that helps donors and foundations make informed giving decisions.
“Our mission is to revolutionize philanthropy by providing information that advances transparency, enables users to make better decisions, and encourages charitable giving,” according to the “about us” page on the GuideStar website.
This certification is based on financial information and metrics that the Catalina Island Museum makes available to donors via its website and provided to GuideStar. Only 43 other museums in California have received this distinction.
“Platinum level status with GuideStar means so much for our organization,” said Julie Perlin Lee, executive director of the Catalina Island Museum. “Only half of one percent (.05%) of nonprofits receive this certification and we are so proud of this significant accomplishment.”
The museum is currently the only nonprofit organization on the island to have received the Platinum Seal. As compared to nearly 200 island museums around the country, only a handful have received this coveted certification.
Since 1953, the Catalina Island Museum has proudly introduced visitors to the extraordinary history of Santa Catalina Island. The museum’s holdings include a comprehensive collection of Catalina pottery and tile, a large selection of Native American artifacts from the island’s Tongva tribe, over 10,000 photographs and negatives documenting island life from the mid-1800s to the present day, boat models, sport fishing items, artifacts from the island’s steamships, and much more. In 2016, the museum opened a new building in the heart of Avalon designed to facilitate its expanded mission to exhibit high quality art installations and enhanced programing in the areas of dance, music and film.
The Catalina Island Museum offers the best in art and history exhibitions, music and dance performances, lectures by guest speakers from all over the world, and the finest in silent, documentary and international film. Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except New Year’s Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. The museum’s Ada Blanche Wrigley Schreiner Building is located at 217 Metropole Ave. in Avalon. For more information, call 310-510-2414 or visit CatalinaMuseum.org.
