The Museum of Science & History will seek $80 million in public and private funding to renovate and expand its 50-year-old campus on Jacksonville’s Southbank.
In a Friday announcement, MOSH President Maria Hane said the plan would boost the museum’s total space from 77,000 to 120,000 square feet, reorient its public entry toward the St. Johns River, enhance capacity and incorporate “new and emerging technology.”
“Northeast Florida deserves a world-class destination where lifelong learning is celebrated and energized,” she said. “As a fixture on the Southbank... MOSH is in a perfect position to transform our riverfront with an iconic campus where science, culture, and innovation come together. Our plans will support downtown development, bolster regional tourism and allow our children to develop the skills to succeed in the modern, 21st-century workforce.”
In January the museum launched a capital campaign called “MOSH 2.0: Expanding the Capacity to Inspire Innovation.” MOSH leaders will seek funding from a combination of sources, including city and state governments, individuals, businesses and corporations and foundations.
The proposed improvements will increase exhibition areas by 200 percent and include a cafe, rooftop conference center, event space, innovation labs and interactive displays such as a simulated aquifer system. Indoor and outdoor settings will be integrated to create a “seamless campus experience” between the museum and adjacent Friendship Fountain and the Southbank Riverwalk.
Combined, the proposed changes are expected to at least double the number of people the museum can serve annually from 229,239 in 2017 to an estimated 468,000 by 2023, according to the museum.
The “MOSH 2.0” concepts were developed through a series of independent studies over the past six years that, according to the museum, showed “a high degree of consensus for large-scale improvements.” Museum leaders then incorporated feedback from at least 250 people, including donors, businesses and corporations, foundations, community leaders and elected officials.
This is a developing story.
Beth Reese Cravey: (904) 359-4109
