Philadelphia's 198-year-old Academy of Natural Sciences museum to close

Key points

• The museum, open since 1828, will cease operations on Sept. 30, with its last public day on Sept. 27.
• Leadership cited 'fundamental changes' in visitor behavior and rising operational costs as the primary reasons for closure.
• The Academy’s scientific research, collections, and library will continue to operate at the current Benjamin Franklin Parkway location.
• Scott Cooper, the Academy’s president and CEO, has stepped down immediately, with 27 of 80 staff members impacted by the closure.
• Drexel University and the Academy are negotiating a new governance and financial structure, with former Ambassador David L. Cohen serving as a mediator.

Background

The Academy of Natural Sciences, founded in 1812, became affiliated with Drexel University in 2011 to secure financial stability. In 2025, the museum reduced its operating hours from five to three days a week due to declining attendance and federal funding cuts. This closure follows a broader trend of museum closures in the US, such as Chicago’s WNDR Museum, which shut down in 2026 after struggling to sustain its model post-pandemic.

How outlets are covering it

While all outlets confirm the closure, they emphasize different aspects. The Inquirer highlights the financial strain on Drexel University, noting its own deficits and the Academy’s reliance on university support. NBC10 and WHYY focus on the 'difficult decision' to protect the scientific mission, framing the closure as a necessary step to preserve the 19-million-specimen collection. PhillyVoice provides financial details, noting the Academy’s 2025 revenue of $25.8 million and its $110 million in assets, suggesting the closure is a response to structural financial challenges rather than just visitor numbers.

Why it matters

The closure of the nation’s oldest natural history museum signals a shift in how cultural institutions prioritize scientific research over public engagement. It highlights the financial fragility of museums in the post-pandemic era and the increasing reliance on university partnerships for survival. The outcome of the Drexel-Academy negotiations will determine the future of public access to one of the world’s most significant natural history collections.

What to watch

Drexel and the Academy are expected to finalize a 'term sheet' for a new governance structure in the coming weeks. The Academy will continue to seek new, financially sustainable ways to display its collections, potentially in a different configuration or location. The building itself may be sold to address deferred maintenance costs, while the research and collection operations will remain at the current site.