Philadelphia’s Historic Natural Sciences Museum Closes Amid Financial Strain

On September 1, Drexel University announced that the Academy of Natural Sciences’ public museum would cease operations at the end of the month, with the final public day on September 30. The decision ended nearly two centuries of public exhibitions at a facility founded in 1812 and opened to visitors in 1828. The closure was attributed to declining post-pandemic attendance, rising operating costs, and Drexel’s budget shortfall.

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The Academy became a Drexel subsidiary in 2011, retaining its independent board and 501(c)(3) status. At that time its endowment was $51 million. Over the ensuing years, Drexel faced enrollment declines and a 2024 budget shortfall, while museum attendance fell after COVID-19. In 2025 the museum reduced staff, cut hours, and cancelled its summer camp program.

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• The Academy houses 19 million biological specimens, including 73,000 holotype samples, Thomas Jefferson’s fossil collection, and plant specimens gathered by Lewis and Clark.

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• Visitor counts dropped from 208,000 in 2014 to 126,000 in fiscal 2025.

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• 2025 revenue was $25.8 million against expenditures of $23.8 million, up from $22 million the prior year.

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• NPR reported that in the museum’s final weeks attendance surged, generating revenue more than 20 times that of the previous September.

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• City Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad announced that the council will hold public hearings and has been granted subpoena power to investigate the closure.

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Activists and former staff have condemned the abrupt one-month notice. The “Save the Academy” campaign has amassed over 114,000 petition signatures and organized rallies demanding that Drexel explore disaffiliation and alternative funding. Critics warn that Drexel may seek to sell the historic 19th-century building, prompting council proposals to restrict residential or commercial redevelopment of the site.

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Sources differ on the magnitude of the attendance rebound. NPR describes a “skyrocketing” surge with revenue exceeding twentyfold previous levels, whereas the Academy’s tax filings indicate only a modest revenue increase from $22 million to $25.8 million. Drexel has not disclosed the specific financial terms required for a permanent reopening, leaving the public unclear about what “preserve access” will entail for non-research visitors.

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• “This is a very special place, for my family and also me growing up,” — Alexandria McCormick

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• “This is the oldest natural history museum in the Americas,” — Isa Betancourt

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• “It's certainly a challenging time for the museum field.” — Natanya Kashan, American Alliance of Museums

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The city council’s upcoming hearings will examine the closure’s causes and consider zoning legislation that would limit future residential or commercial conversion of the Academy’s Logan Square building. Drexel continues informal talks with the William Penn Foundation while seeking a sustainable operational model for the research collections. Until a long-term solution is reached, the museum’s doors remain closed, but advocacy groups affirm that the effort to reopen the institution is ongoing.

'A beacon to the world,' faculty and students mourn Academy of Natural Sciences' closure