PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University will close its museum at the end of the month, nearly 200 years after it first opened in Philadelphia. The institution will continue its stewardship of research and collections.
The museum, located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, will close on Sept. 30. A Drexel spokesperson said 27 Academy employees will be affected by the closure.
In a letter to members on Tuesday, Academy and Drexel leaders said they decided to close the museum in order to “protect the collections and scientific mission at the heart of the Academy,” and take an “important step toward addressing the Academy’s financial challenges.”
Academy leaders said the institution “remains committed to public engagement and education, and work will continue to identify new and financially sustainable opportunities for the public display of elements from its collections and engagement with the natural sciences.”
They said in the years since the pandemic, officials worked to rebuild attendance and engagement, but operating costs continued to rise.
“Closing the current Parkway museum is, therefore, a difficult decision taken to concentrate resources on the Academy’s enduring scientific assets and research,” a statement reads. “Closing the museum addresses an immediate challenge, but it is just the first step in the larger project of building a sustainable future for the Academy.”
The Academy said it will shift its focus to stewarding its collections — more than 19 million biological specimens, fossils, archives and other scientific resources.
In addition, Scott Cooper will step down as the Academy’s president and CEO. He will continue to serve in an advisory role during this transition phase.
The Academy was founded in 1812 and has since built one of the world’s most significant natural history collections. The museum opened to the public in 1828. The Academy partnered with Drexel University in 2011.
Its archives are one of North America’s most comprehensive records of natural science literature.
The institution will continue its research projects and collections
The institution will continue its research projects and collections
