Historic Academy of Natural Sciences Museum in Philadelphia to Close Sept. 30
Drexel said declining visitorship and rising costs made the 1828 museum unsustainable, while collections and research will continue.
- On Tuesday, Drexel University and the Academy of Natural Sciences announced the museum on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will permanently close on Sept. 30, 2026, ending nearly 200 years of public access to its natural history collections.
- "Patterns of visitation and audience behavior changed in lasting ways," the announcement explained, citing rising operational costs that imperiled the Academy's ability to sustain its mission. These fundamental economic shifts rendered the current operational model unsustainable.
- Simultaneously, Academy president and CEO Scott Cooper is stepping down immediately, while the closure impacts 27 of the institution's 80 employees. The boards will continue working to identify an appropriate governance structure and leadership for the Academy.
- Research and the 19 million specimens in the Academy's collection will remain housed in the Parkway structure. Leadership noted the closure is "just the first step in the larger project of building a sustainable future."
- Gov. Josh Shapiro, Mayor Cherelle Parker, and third-party facilitator David L. Cohen are involved in ongoing discussions regarding the Academy's long-term future, aiming to strengthen its scientific mission and ensure access to collections.
19 Articles
19 Articles
A Huge Loss in Philadelphia
When my son was three, we packed the car on a cold fall day and drove to Philadelphia from New York. It was the first time I had a chance to take him to my hometown and show him a bit of my life. As we approached our hotel, we passed the Academy of Natural Sciences, and my son saw the dinosaur outside. He shrieked with delight and before we even parked said, “Let’s go see the dinosaur.” It was the first thing he wanted to do in Philadelphia, so …
Academy of Natural Sciences to close; MyChart phishing scam; Weekly gun violence brief
#BILLYPENNGRAM OF THE DAY Side-by-side in the Italian Market (Photo by @karenbenson.eyeful) Philadelphia’s Academy of Natural Sciences museum is closing Just shy of its 200th anniversary, the museum of the Academy of […] The post Academy of Natural Sciences to close; MyChart phishing scam; Weekly gun violence brief | Morning Roundup appeared first on Billy Penn at WHYY.
This Is the End for Americas' 'Oldest Natural History Museum'
Two centuries after opening its doors, what is billed as the "oldest natural history museum in the Americas" is closing them. The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, home to Dinosaur Hall and a cast of a Tyrannosaurus rex, will shut its museum permanently at the end of September, Drexel...
Academy of Natural Sciences to close its museum this month
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
