Jacksonville residents urge city to keep Museum of Science and History open until construction begins

Several current and former teen volunteers and community members urged the Jacksonville Neighborhoods Committee on July 14 to reverse or pause the planned September closure of the Museum of Science and History (MOSH) until a concrete construction schedule is in place.

Speakers said the museum’s announced closure — staff were let go and volunteer programs suspended — will leave the city without a museum until a projected reopening “in 2028,” a date several speakers called vague and uncertain. “That gap will affect an entire generation,” volunteer and teen advisory council president Himashi Wajayawardhana said. She and other speakers said MOSH provides hands-on science and history education, teen leadership opportunities and summer camps that are not easily replaced by other local programs.

Several volunteers described the museum as a community cornerstone that provides jobs and leadership opportunities. Shrinidhi, identified as vice president of MOSH’s teen advisory council, said she had contributed nearly 200 volunteer hours and called the closing “devastating.” Manisha Wajayawardana summarized the Save MOSH petition on behalf of community signers and volunteers. Amy Pham recounted her own experience volunteering and said closure would “devastate the people of Jacksonville.”

Public commenters cited two city decisions in the discussion. Speakers noted the city has committed $50,000,000 to the Genesis project for a new MOSH facility and said that investment heightens the urgency of maintaining programming while construction is planned and started. They asked for transparency on the project timeline and for a transitional plan or off-site programming that keeps teen volunteer programs, Discovery summer camps and educational services operating during the interim.

The committee did not take formal action on MOSH during the meeting; the remarks came during the public-comment period. Committee members acknowledged the speakers and, in at least one instance, ensured staff had met with the students in a “Green Room” to provide updates on investments and the project plan.

Advocates said community support is strong: speakers reported more than 900 petition signatures within a week and recounted that MOSH annually welcomes students and families who rely on its programs. They asked the city to preserve access to education for children and teens while the new facility moves from planning to construction. Ending paragraph: Speakers asked the council and administration to prioritize continuity of services and to provide a clear schedule for when construction will begin and how MOSH programs will be sustained until that date.