The Museum of Science & History on the Downtown Southbank is closing Sept. 1 so the “organization can fully engage in shaping the vision for the new Museum.”
MOSH announced the closure May 2 in a news release.
MOSH plans to move across the St. Johns River to the Shipyards on the Northbank. It plans to break ground on its new museum in 2026 with completion anticipated by 2028.
MOSH, founded in 1941, has been at 1025 Museum Circle Drive since 1968. Property records show it comprises two buildings totaling 87,264 square feet. The 7.82-acre property is owned by the city.
“After decades of serving the community from our current location, MOSH is embarking on a bold new chapter to create a museum that will act as both cultural institution and social destination for Northeast Florida,” CEO Alistair Dove said in a news release.
“As one of the largest museum development projects in America today, the new Museum will become a defining regional landmark that fuels civic pride and inspires lifelong learning.”
With the planned opening of the new museum more than two years in the future, MOSH said it will remain active in the community through pop-up experiences, partnerships and educational events across Jacksonville.
MOSH said it has 30 employees and that about 20% would be retained. That would be six.
The museum said staff positions focused on educational programming, operations and development will be retained beyond the closure. It said those roles will focus on community outreach and preparations for the new museum.
The new MOSH site is part of 8.68 acres on the west bank of Hogans Creek where it meets the St. Johns River, south of VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena and VyStar Ballpark.
MOSH says it has raised more than $95 million for its new facility. It said it will create 7 acres of “immersive, indoor-outdoor learning experiences” with 105,000 square feet of exhibition space.
“Through its programs and exhibitions, the new Museum will celebrate the rich history and cultural identity of the First Coast, while inspiring future generations to realize the extraordinary potential of this incredibly special region,” Dove said.
MOSH said it will move its collections and exhibition materials into storage. It said the closure “affords the museum the opportunity to dedicate staff time solely to research, condition reporting, and acquisition of new objects to support the new museum.”
The Jacksonville City Council approved MOSH’s move to the Northbank in March, approving an amended agreement to allow for its construction near the USS Orleck floating naval museum and the Jacksonville Fire Museum.
The agreement between MOSH, the city and the Downtown Investment Authority calls for the city to own the building and lease it to the museum over a 40-year term at $1 per year.
Under the agreement, MOSH will construct the building and design a surrounding park, with the city providing $880,000 toward the park’s design.
The city will build the park, provide roadway and utility work, and construct a length of the Riverwalk on the property as part of $20 million in improvements already funded in the city’s Capital Improvement Plan.
The city has committed an additional $50 million plus the funding for design, and MOSH has raised $50 million in private donations.
MOSH has said the Museum Circle building is structurally sound but needs extensive updates of its plumbing, wiring and mechanical workings.