The follow message was sent to Drexel and Academy of Natural Sciences communities:
Dear Members of the Academy and Drexel Communities,
Today we are sharing important news about the future of the Academy of Natural Sciences.
For more than two centuries, the Academy has served as an internationally recognized center for research, education and public engagement, inspiring generations through its collections and its commitment to understanding and protecting the natural world. Founded in 1812 by seven naturalists, the Academy was established to advance scientific discovery and, since that time, has built one of the world’s most significant natural history collections. The museum opened in 1828 to share the treasures of these collections with the public, becoming an early and influential pioneer of public natural history education.
Over the past several years, Drexel and Academy leadership have undertaken extensive work to strengthen the Academy and secure a sustainable future for the institution. That work has intensified in recent months, with a focus on developing a long-term operating model that will support the three interconnected elements of its mission — research, education and public engagement.
As part of this broader effort and following careful consideration, grounded in deep respect for the Academy’s extraordinary legacy, Academy and Drexel leadership have made the difficult decision to close the Academy’s museum as of September 30. While the museum will close, the Academy 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.
Why This Decision Was Necessary
Although the museum represents just one aspect of the Academy’s public engagement and educational outreach, we recognize how deeply it is woven into the fabric of Philadelphia and how many generations of families have made lasting memories within its walls.
We did not reach the decision to close the Academy’s museum lightly or in haste. In the years that followed the COVID-19 pandemic, the Academy worked actively to rebuild attendance and engagement — investing in new galleries and exhibitions and creating new programming and ways of reaching audiences. Those efforts produced important successes. But patterns of visitation and audience behavior changed in lasting ways, while the costs of operating the museum continued to rise. Over time, it became clear that these were not temporary pressures, but fundamental changes in the economics of the Academy’s operational model, costs that have imperiled the Academy’s ability to discharge its overall mission and preserve its legacy.
After examining a range of alternatives, Academy and Drexel leadership concluded that continuing to operate the museum in its current building and form would place increasing pressure on the resources required to safeguard the collections and sustain the research enterprise. Closing the current Parkway museum is, therefore, a difficult decision taken to concentrate resources on the Academy’s enduring scientific assets and research. 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.
A Renewed Focus on the Academy’s Scientific Mission
The stewardship of the Academy’s collections and their use to advance scientific knowledge will be the focus of our work for the near future.
These collections — more than 19 million biological specimens, fossils, archives and other scientific resources — constitute an irreplaceable scientific and cultural resource that supports research, education and environmental preservation efforts around the world.
Notably, these collections hold more than 73,000 type specimens, establishing the Academy as a crucial reference point for global biodiversity research. The collections serve as an active research resource, with specimens regularly accessed through global online databases and cited in scientific publications. The Academy’s Library and Archives is one of North America’s most comprehensive repositories of natural science literature, with more than 75,000 titles, including rare volumes dating back to 1529.
These collections are not simply records of the past. They are the working scientific infrastructure that enables researchers from around the globe to document the impacts of environmental change across centuries, understand ever-changing ecosystems and causes of biodiversity loss, inform conservation efforts worldwide and make new discoveries as emerging technologies and urgent scientific questions arise.
We, therefore, remain firmly committed to their long-term stewardship and to ensure they continue serving researchers, educators, students and the public for generations to come. In that spirit, public engagement and education will continue to be important components of the Academy’s mission.
Our commitment rests on the longstanding partnership between Drexel and the Academy. Since the Academy of Natural Sciences and Drexel became affiliated in 2011, we have expanded opportunities for research, education and innovation. Together, we established Drexel’s Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Sciences, created new opportunities for experiential learning and advanced important research in biodiversity and environmental science. Most importantly, this affiliation has helped to preserve and strengthen one of the nation’s great scientific collections.
Building on substantial progress already made, Drexel and Academy leadership remain actively engaged with the offices of the governor and mayor, including the Hon. David L. Cohen, whom the governor designated to serve as a third-party facilitator. Together, we are advancing discussions focused on the Academy’s long-term future and identifying new opportunities to strengthen its scientific mission, ensure access to its world-renowned collections, expand public engagement in the natural sciences, and maintain the Academy’s enduring presence in Philadelphia. While important work remains, there is a shared commitment and growing momentum toward a durable path forward.
Leadership Transition
This transition also brings a change in leadership for the Academy. After guiding the institution admirably through this important period of planning and helping to prepare the Academy for its future, Scott Cooper, PhD, has decided this is the right time to step down as president and CEO of the Academy.
Under Dr. Cooper’s leadership, the Academy renewed its public and scientific mission. It revitalized galleries, developed original exhibitions showcasing its collections and research, and advanced co-curatorial approaches that brought new voices into programs and interpretation. It pioneered participatory research, working with communities to shape questions, generate knowledge and address shared environmental challenges. It also advanced civic initiatives, such as Lights Out Philly, and strengthened scholarship by securing permanent endowed leadership for the Library and Archives.
Across this work, the Academy sought to become a place where more people could see themselves, their communities and their concerns reflected.
We are grateful for Dr. Cooper’s leadership and for his many contributions to the Academy and to Drexel. To support continuity through this transition, he will continue to serve in an advisory capacity, providing counsel as the museum closure is implemented and the Academy enters its next phase.
We are especially mindful of what this decision means for our colleagues, many of whom have devoted years of skill, care and commitment to the Academy and, in particular, to its museum. We are deeply grateful for everything they have done, alongside the Academy’s volunteers, to advance the institution’s mission and serve its audiences.
Drexel leadership and the Academy’s board will continue working together to identify an appropriate governance structure and interim and permanent leadership for the Academy. Those discussions will continue as both organizations carefully consider the Academy’s future needs and opportunities.
The Path Forward
We know the museum’s closure will be painful for staff and deeply disappointing to many others who care about the Academy. We do not underestimate that loss. This difficult decision was made to protect the collections and scientific mission at the heart of the Academy and represents an important step toward addressing the Academy’s financial challenges. The Academy’s board and Drexel leadership are committed to building and funding a sustainable long-term model that in addition to preserving the Academy’s scientific research enterprise, also allows us to create new and meaningful ways for the public to engage with these natural treasures and scientific discoveries.
We will continue to share updates as these plans progress. Thank you for your continued support of the Academy of Natural Sciences and Drexel as we work in the near term to safeguard its collections and position the Academy for a strong and sustainable future.
Sincerely,
Antonio Merlo, PhD
President, Drexel University
Suzanne Biemiller
Chair, Board of Trustees
Academy of Natural Sciences, Drexel University