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The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University closed its Philadelphia museum to visitors at 5 p.m. on September 27, 2026. The Academy itself was founded in 1812; it opened its public museum in 1828, which is the 198-year span behind the closure headline. The galleries are closed, but the Academy says its collections, library, archives and scientific research continue.
What closed—and when?
The closure was of the Academy of Natural Sciences’ public museum in its Parkway building, not an announcement that the Academy or its scientific collections had ceased to exist. Drexel University and Academy leaders announced the decision on September 1, 2026. September 30 was the announced effective closure date, but the museum’s last public visiting day was Sunday, September 27; it closed at 5 p.m. that day.
The distinction matters: the Academy was founded in 1812, while its museum opened to the public in 1828. The 198 years refers to the museum’s public history through its 2026 closure, not the age of the Academy as an institution. Drexel and the Academy became affiliated in 2011.
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Why did the museum close?
In their September 1 announcement, Drexel President Antonio Merlo and Academy Board Chair Suzanne Biemiller cited lasting changes in visitor patterns following the pandemic and rising operating costs. They said that continuing to operate the museum in its current building and form would put increasing pressure on resources needed to care for collections and sustain research.
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Merlo and Biemiller described the pressures as “fundamental changes in the economics of the Academy’s operational model” and said closing the Parkway museum was a difficult decision intended to concentrate resources on the Academy’s scientific assets and research. Philadelphia City Council’s September 17 resolution recorded the announced closure and the same stated pressures. These are leadership’s explanation; the cited accounts do not establish every factor behind attendance or finances.
What happens to the collections and research?
The Academy says the public galleries’ closure does not end its scientific work or collection stewardship. Its September 25 FAQ said that the collections, library and archives remain available for research and education, and that scientific research—including the work of the Ruth Patrick Center for Environmental Research—continues. The Academy also said fossils and original scientific materials would be preserved as part of its collections while exhibit plans are evaluated.
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The collections are substantial: the Academy and Drexel reported more than 19 million biological specimens, fossils, archives and other scientific resources, including more than 73,000 type specimens. The Academy also reported more than 75,000 library titles, with rare volumes dating to 1529.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchResearch access is not the same as open gallery access. The Academy says its collections were not historically available for unrestricted public visits. It expects some materials to continue reaching the public through loans to exhibitions at other institutions, but its September 25 FAQ said specific exhibit plans were still pending.
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What is known about the building and a possible future museum?
The Academy’s September 25 FAQ said the Parkway building would continue to house collections, research activities and exhibit materials while options were considered. In a September 28 report, The Philadelphia Inquirer said leaders had discussed moving collections and selling the building, and envisioned a future public-facing experience elsewhere. That report did not establish that a sale, relocation or successor museum had been completed or provide a settled plan.
The Inquirer also reported that the William Penn Foundation had offered temporary operating support, but the offer had not produced an immediate reopening; Drexel had neither accepted nor rejected it in the account. Public advocacy, including the Save the Academy coalition, and a short-lived surge in attendance did not prevent the September 27 closure. The Inquirer reported about 41,000 visitors during the final weeks, a brief increase rather than evidence of sustainable attendance. The future of any public-facing successor, the building’s eventual disposition and the effect of temporary funding remained unresolved in reporting through September 28.
Why the Academy’s collections matter
The Academy’s history is larger than its visitor galleries: it was established in 1812 and opened the museum in 1828 to share natural-history collections with the public. Its specimens and records also serve as scientific resources. Robert McCracken Peck, the Academy’s curator of art and artifacts and senior fellow emeritus, told the Inquirer that some specimens were gathered at particular moments in history and cannot be collected again, calling them “irreplaceable.” Their research value continues even when visitors can no longer encounter them in the Parkway galleries.
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The Franklin Institute is a separate Philadelphia attraction, not a replacement for the Academy’s natural-history collections or research mission. Its official visitor page lists hands-on exhibits and the Fels Planetarium, along with current address, hours and exhibits: The Franklin Institute visitor information. Check that page for current details before planning a visit.
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