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Industry · Form 5500 business code 712100
Museums, Historical Sites, & Similar Institutions: retirement plans
Plans whose sponsor entered this principal business activity code on Form 5500.
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. The business code is chosen by the filer from the list in the Form 5500 instructions.
For plan year 2024, 236 retirement plans in museums, historical sites, & similar institutions with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500: 220 defined contribution and 16 defined benefit. They reported 118,848 participant records and $7.43B in net assets, counting every plan on the form.
The median defined contribution plan held $45,931 per participant, below the national median of $53,031, and its employer put in $1,944 per active participant (national: $2,174). Among plans reporting Schedule C compensation the median was $91.36 per participant against $123 nationally.
Employers contributed $158M and participants $237M during the year, and the plans paid out $596M in benefits.
In 2009 the same group numbered 186 plans with $2.27B; by 2024 it was 236 plans (up 27%) and $7.43B (up 228%). From plan year 2023 the 100-participant line counts participants with account balances, which moved many plans to the short form.
Medians compared with all US plans
| Median plan, plan year 2024 | Industry: DC | US: DC | Industry: DB | US: DB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $45,931 | $53,031 | $69,945 | $86,234 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $1,944 | $2,174 | $7,991 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $91.36 | $123 | $473 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.20% | 0.26% | 0.54% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $89.29 | $116 | $602 | $527 |
Medians across plans with 100 or more participants (215 DC and 16 DB plans with a Schedule H here). Fee medians cover plans reporting an amount. DC: defined contribution, such as 401(k) and 403(b). DB: defined benefit pension.
Distribution of DC plans
| Measure | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $32,271 | $45,931 | $66,648 | 215 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $1,273 | $1,944 | $2,799 | 198 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $50.94 | $91.36 | $170 | 190 |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $38.21 | $89.29 | $167 | 206 |
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Plans 100+ | Participants | Net assets | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Median DC assets / participant | Median DC Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025partial | 41 | 23,363 | $2.10B | $48.5M | $57.2M | $62,123 | $115 |
| 2024 | 236 | 118,848 | $7.43B | $158M | $237M | $45,931 | $91.36 |
| 2023 | 233 | 118,701 | $6.80B | $151M | $213M | $43,578 | $88.13 |
| 2022 | 244 | 116,059 | $5.99B | $136M | $190M | $36,048 | $88.77 |
| 2021 | 243 | 110,292 | $7.35B | $154M | $172M | $47,120 | $104 |
| 2020 | 242 | 111,387 | $6.92B | $198M | $169M | $41,875 | $84.78 |
| 2019 | 245 | 124,434 | $6.07B | $170M | $173M | $34,115 | $62.87 |
| 2018 | 250 | 118,523 | $5.20B | $168M | $159M | $29,317 | $58.07 |
| 2017 | 247 | 116,826 | $5.37B | $144M | $147M | $30,916 | $50.04 |
| 2016 | 237 | 112,634 | $4.67B | $154M | $138M | $28,309 | $40.44 |
| 2015 | 230 | 109,709 | $4.25B | $182M | $127M | $26,231 | $33.02 |
| 2014 | 227 | 106,813 | $4.14B | $119M | $114M | $26,559 | $32.96 |
| 2013 | 216 | 103,036 | $3.81B | $136M | $104M | $25,072 | $22.78 |
| 2012 | 207 | 94,819 | $3.20B | $140M | $94.6M | $21,762 | $19.63 |
| 2011 | 198 | 93,736 | $2.78B | $140M | $89.5M | $20,010 | $17.81 |
| 2010 | 192 | 91,278 | $2.64B | $102M | $83.7M | $19,856 | $14.12 |
| 2009 | 186 | 91,867 | $2.27B | $103M | $81.2M | $17,354 | $10.86 |
Plan year is the year in which the plan year began. The drop in large plans from 2023 follows a rule change: the 100-participant line now counts participants with account balances, so many plans moved to the short form.
Provider share
Service provider organisations named most often on the Schedule C of the 234 plans on this page's list, by number of plans. A plan usually names several providers.
Largest plans
The 40 largest by participants of 234 plans with a page on this site.
| Plan | Sponsor | State | Type | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer / active | Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merlin Entertainments Group US, LLC 401(k) Plan | Merlin Entertainments Group US, LLC | FL | DC | 4,345 | $70.5M | $16,231 | $621 | $48.20 |
| The Retirement Income Plan for Employees of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation | The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation | VA | DB | 3,806 | $260M | $68,231 | — | $461 |
| San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance 403(b) Plan | San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance | CA | DC | 3,539 | $186M | $52,421 | $1,718 | $72.28 |
| The Metropolitan Museum of Art 403(b) Retirement Plan for Non-Union Employees | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | NY | DC | 2,810 | $357M | $127,188 | $8,750 | $46.87 |
| The Metropolitan Museum of Art 403(b) Matching Plan for Non-Union Employees | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | NY | DC | 2,328 | $225M | $96,817 | $3,097 | $52.87 |
| The Art Institute of Chicago Defined Contribution Retirement Plan | The Art Institute of Chicago | IL | DC | 2,228 | $211M | $94,702 | $5,335 | $121 |
| The J. Paul Getty Trust Defined Contribution Retirement Plan | The J. Paul Getty Trust | CA | DC | 2,139 | $249M | $116,315 | $10,672 | $43.16 |
| The J. Paul Getty Trust Employee Investment Plan | The J. Paul Getty Trust | CA | DC | 2,129 | $315M | $148,159 | $0 | $50.73 |
| The Art Institute of Chicago Tax Deferred Savings Program | The Art Institute of Chicago | IL | DC | 2,125 | $19.7M | $9,283 | — | — |
| The Metropolitan Museum of Art Retirement Plan for Covered Union Employees | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | NY | DB | 1,906 | $240M | $125,872 | $8,757 | $627 |
| Biltmore Workforce Management 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Biltmore Workforce Management, LLC | NC | DC | 1,728 | $104M | $60,314 | $1,611 | $88.13 |
| Zoological Society of San Diego Restated Pension Plan for Union Employees | San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance | CA | DB | 1,590 | $97.8M | $61,492 | $0 | $340 |
| Colonial Williamsburg Tax Deferred Savings Plan | The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation | VA | DC | 1,340 | $101M | $75,398 | $509 | $121 |
| The Museum of Modern Art 403(b) Retirement Plan | The Museum of Modern Art | NY | DC | 1,339 | $179M | $133,576 | $3,504 | — |
| Museum of Fine Arts Defined Contribution Retirement Plan | Museum of Fine Arts | MA | DC | 1,310 | $230M | $175,434 | $6,635 | $38.37 |
| Philadelphia Museum of Art 403(b) Retirement and Savings Plan | Philadelphia Museum of Art | PA | DC | 1,280 | $147M | $114,807 | $1,620 | $51.01 |
| San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Retirement Plan | San Francisco Museum of Modern Art | CA | DC | 1,253 | $73.2M | $58,459 | $2,010 | $61.15 |
| H.T.A. Cast Retirement Plan | Historic Tours of America, Inc. | FL | DC | 1,098 | $18.8M | $17,091 | $151 | $68.06 |
| Carnegie Institute Defined Contribution and Tax Deferred Annuity Retirement Plan | Carnegie Institute | PA | DC | 1,074 | $85.9M | $79,965 | $1,637 | $85.40 |
| Natural History Museum Foundation Retirement Plan | Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Foundation | CA | DC | 1,066 | $61.1M | $57,317 | $1,305 | $82.88 |
| Zoological Society of San Diego Restated Pension Plan for Non-Union Employees | San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance | CA | DB | 1,051 | $108M | $102,826 | $1,818 | $466 |
| California Academy of Sciences Defined Contribution Plan | California Academy of Sciences | CA | DC | 1,041 | $94.7M | $91,017 | $2,166 | $220 |
| The Metropolitan Museum of Art 403(b) Voluntary Contribution Plan | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | NY | DC | 1,033 | $50.9M | $49,312 | — | $37.94 |
| The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Retirement Savings Plan | The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston | TX | DC | 1,016 | $67.6M | $66,563 | $1,729 | $70.10 |
| The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens 403(b) Savings & Retirement Plan | The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens | CA | DC | 1,008 | $97.6M | $96,836 | $4,509 | $101 |
| The Monterey Bay Aquarium Retirement Plan | The Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation | CA | DC | 975 | $105M | $107,309 | $5,941 | $190 |
| Denver Museum of Nature & Science Retirement Plan | The Colorado Museum of Natural History, a Colorado Non-Profit Corporat | CO | DC | 952 | $38.3M | $40,231 | $2,092 | $97.36 |
| Field Museum of Natural History 403(b) Plan | The Field Museum of Natural History | IL | DC | 886 | $55.1M | $62,231 | $1,964 | $42.44 |
| Chicago Zoological Society Retirement Savings Plan | Chicago Zoological Society | IL | DC | 857 | $84.3M | $98,419 | $1,203 | $134 |
| The Art Institute of Chicago Pension Plan | The Art Institute of Chicago | IL | DB | 837 | $124M | $147,935 | $12,195 | $787 |
| The Missouri Botanical Garden 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan | Missouri Botanical Garden | MO | DC | 834 | $68.8M | $82,442 | $2,501 | $23.69 |
| Massachusetts Audubon Society 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan | Massachusetts Audubon Society, Inc. | MA | DC | 833 | $55.1M | $66,128 | $2,216 | $67.07 |
| Chicago Horticultural Society 403(b) Retirement Plan | Chicago Horticultural Society | IL | DC | 799 | $60.6M | $75,882 | $1,392 | $0.34 |
| Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union 403(b) Plan | MT Vernon Ladies' Association | VA | DC | 787 | $37.4M | $47,508 | $2,414 | $163 |
| Whitney Museum of American Art 403(b) Retirement Plan | Whitney Museum of American Art | NY | DC | 780 | $40.5M | $51,908 | $2,814 | $116 |
| Georgia Aquarium, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Georgia Aquarium, Inc. | GA | DC | 761 | $21.5M | $28,239 | $1,191 | $115 |
| Art & Wellness Enterprise 401(k) Plan | Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Inc. | AR | DC | 742 | $28.2M | $38,011 | $2,285 | $14.19 |
| Museum of Science Savings Plan | Museum of Science | MA | DC | 731 | $46.6M | $63,776 | $10 | $20.52 |
| The Metropolitan Museum of Art 403(b) Plan for Local 1503 of District Council 37, Afscme, AFL-CIO and Local 306-I.A.T.S.E. | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | NY | DC | 703 | $44.7M | $63,648 | $926 | — |
| Tax Sheltered Annuity Plan of Denver Zoological Foundation | Denver Zoological Foundation | CO | DC | 701 | $32.0M | $45,605 | $2,588 | $92.90 |
By plan size
By state
Questions and answers
How many retirement plans are there in museums, historical sites, & similar institutions?
236 plans with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024, out of 259 pension plans on the full form. Smaller plans file Form 5500-SF and are counted separately where shown.
What is the typical 401(k) balance in museums, historical sites, & similar institutions?
The median defined contribution plan reported $45,931 in net assets per participant (middle half of plans: $32,271 to $66,648); nationally it was $53,031. This is a plan-level average that includes former employees, not a typical person's balance.
What do employers contribute in museums, historical sites, & similar institutions?
The median defined contribution plan received $1,944 in employer contributions per active participant, against $2,174 nationally. Plans with no employer contribution are included at zero.
What are average 401(k) fees in museums, historical sites, & similar institutions?
Among defined contribution plans that report any Schedule C compensation, the median was $91.36 per participant and 0.20% of net assets (nationally $123 and 0.26%). Schedule C leaves out fund expense ratios and fees the employer pays, so it understates total cost.
Where does this come from?
Form 5500 annual reports in the EBSA research files, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Medians are computed by this site across plans with 100 or more participants.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Totals count every pension plan on the full form; medians and the plan list cover plans with 100 or more participants. See the methodology.