The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia is closing its museum

Key Points:

• Philadelphia’s Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University will close its museum on September 30 after nearly 200 years, citing declining visitorship and rising operational costs that have made the current model unsustainable.
• The closure will impact about one-third of the museum’s 80 employees, though Drexel has not clarified whether these staff will be laid off or reassigned; the Academy’s scientific collections and research departments will remain operational in the Parkway building.
• Scott Cooper, the Academy’s president and CEO for nearly nine years, is stepping down immediately, with Drexel and Academy boards working to establish new leadership and governance structures amid ongoing financial challenges.
• Drexel University faces significant budget deficits and enrollment declines, contributing to its decision to scale back support for the Academy, which received over $8 million annually from Drexel but has become a financial strain.
• Efforts to secure the Academy’s long-term future involve negotiations facilitated by former Comcast executive David L. Cohen, with involvement from city and state officials aiming to preserve the institution’s scientific mission and presence in Philadelphia.