PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is cutting its hours of operation from five days a week to three, citing financial instability and a lack of federal funding.
In a statement, museum President and CEO Scott Cooper said, “We have determined the need for a change in operations in order to achieve greater financial sustainability and a stronger foundation in the long term.”
He said the decision to cut back hours was also due to a reduction in visitation rates amid an “uncertain philanthropic landscape.”
The museum will be open to the public on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, when 70% of its visits usually occur, Cooper said. School visits will be scheduled on Thursdays and Fridays. Members-only hours will continue throughout the year.
The museum is currently closed until Friday, Oct. 3, when the new hours will take effect.
“While these are not easy decisions, we are confident they are the right ones as we continue the vital work of stewarding our incredible legacy as the oldest natural history museum and natural science research institution in the Americas,” Cooper added.