Philadelphia has lost one of its longest-running public attractions after the Academy of Natural Sciences welcomed visitors through its doors for the final time Sunday.
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The museum on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway ended nearly 200 years of public exhibitions on September 27, marking an emotional turning point for an institution that introduced generations of Philadelphia families to dinosaurs, wildlife, environmental science and natural history. According to 6abc Philadelphia, Sunday was the museum’s final day open to visitors following the closure announcement earlier this month.
The Academy of Natural Sciences closure largely comes down to a financial model that its leadership says was no longer sustainable. According to an official statement from Drexel University, attendance patterns changed significantly after the COVID-19 pandemic while the cost of operating the museum continued to increase. Officials said efforts to rebuild attendance included investments in new exhibitions, galleries and programming, but those efforts were not enough to overcome the financial pressures.
Drexel and Academy leaders said the challenges eventually became bigger than a temporary post-pandemic downturn.
“Over time, it became clear that these were not temporary pressures, but fundamental changes in the economics of the Academy’s operational model, costs that have imperiled the Academy’s ability to discharge its overall mission and preserve its legacy,” Drexel President Antonio Merlo and Academy Board of Trustees Chair Suzanne Biemiller said in the university’s announcement.
Attendance figures help explain the size of the problem. According to 6abc Philadelphia, attorney David Cohen, who has worked with government officials on efforts to preserve the Academy, said annual attendance had fallen from more than 300,000 visitors at its peak to fewer than 50,000 based on a 2025 survey. Earlier this year, the Academy had already reduced its public operating schedule and canceled its 2026 science summer camp as it dealt with budget limitations and visitor numbers that had not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Those problems have unfolded while Drexel faces financial challenges of its own. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Drexel has been working through budget deficits and enrollment declines. The university projected a roughly $20 million deficit for the year after deficits of nearly $40 million the previous year and $63 million in 2024, according to the newspaper.
Drexel and Academy officials ultimately concluded that keeping the museum operating in its current form would put additional pressure on resources needed for the Academy’s scientific collections and research. Their stated strategy is to direct resources toward protecting those assets while searching for financially sustainable ways to give the public access to the Academy’s work in the future.
The closure does not mean the Academy of Natural Sciences itself has disappeared. Drexel said the Academy will continue its research, education and scientific work, while its collections, library, archives and research initiatives remain priorities. The Academy maintains approximately 19 million specimens.
Still, the decision triggered immediate pushback across Philadelphia.
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Academy earlier this month demanding that officials find another solution. During that rally, Green Philly’s Julie Hancher said, “The Academy is not just a building filled with collections. It’s a gathering place for Philadelphia’s environmental and scientific community.”
The fight continued even as the museum approached its final weekend. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the William Penn Foundation offered to cover the museum’s operating costs for one year while its long-term viability was studied. Drexel did not specifically characterize its response as rejecting the offer, but a university spokesperson said there was not a viable proposal establishing a permanent and sustainable path forward for the museum.
Philadelphia City Council is also expected to scrutinize the circumstances surrounding the closure. According to 6abc Philadelphia, Council plans to hold a special hearing in October to hear from museum leadership about the financial struggles that led to the decision.
The ending carries particular weight because of how long the Academy has been part of Philadelphia. According to Drexel, seven naturalists founded the Academy in 1812 to advance scientific discovery, and its museum opened to the public in 1828. For generations afterward, the institution became a destination for school trips, family outings, and visitors exploring its natural history exhibitions.
Now the public museum is closed while the scientific institution behind it enters a much different chapter. Drexel and Academy leadership say protecting the collections and research mission drove the decision, but the public backlash and planned City Council hearing show that questions about how Philadelphia lost a nearly 200-year-old museum are far from over.
