Oct. 1, 2024 — JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) today announced that the City of Jacksonville has committed $50 million toward the construction of a new Museum, to be disbursed through a three-year commitment in the City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The Jacksonville City Council approved this funding as part of the 2025-2029 CIP on Tuesday, September 24, 2024.
As part of the CIP funding agreement, MOSH will direct at least $85 million in capital investment toward the design and construction of the new Museum project. To date, the Museum has secured more than $40 million in philanthropic, corporate and private support for this project. Fundraising to cover additional needs related to the project will continue under the leadership of MOSH Genesis capital campaign chair Jill Davis and MOSH Chief Development Officer, Maureen Mercho.
“MOSH is proud to be one of the signature projects poised to transform the Shipyards area of Downtown. Formalizing this next phase of our partnership with the City of Jacksonville reinforces our shared commitment to seeing the new MOSH proceed with development,” said Dr. Al Dove, CEO of MOSH. “On behalf of our team, I’d like to thank Mayor Donna Deegan, the Jacksonville City Council and the Downtown Investment Authority for collaborating with us to enact a true public-private partnership to serve the current and future residents of this great city.”
MOSH has operated in its current location on the Southbank of Downtown Jacksonville since 1969, and has served the Northeast Florida community for over 83 years. The Museum’s operations have since outgrown the 33,000 square feet of usable exhibit space; the building of a new, state-of-the-art museum will significantly expand the organization's capacity to serve more students and visitors year-round.
“MOSH is an essential leader in our city’s cultural landscape. With a larger location and cutting-edge exhibits, it will play an even greater role in attracting tourism to our Downtown, cultivating curiosity and inspiring innovation among our next generation of leaders,” said Mayor of Jacksonville Donna Deegan.
“The City Council has followed this project since its announcement, and we extend our collective thanks to the MOSH team for their dedication to get the project ready for this next step. We are all eager to see MOSH rise on the Northbank in the coming years,” said City Council President Randy White.
For more information about the Museum’s future plans, visit MOSHGenesis.com. To learn about donation opportunities, contact MOSHGenesis@themosh.org.
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About The Museum of Science & History (MOSH)
The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) is located at 1025 Museum Circle near Friendship Park. MOSH, first chartered in 1941, inspires the joy of lifelong learning by bringing to life the sciences and regional history. Learn more at themosh.org.
Museum funding is provided in part by the City of Jacksonville and the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, Inc.; State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture; and the National Endowment for the Arts; Historic Museums Grants-in-Aid Program assistance provided by the Bureau of Historical Museums, Division of Historical Resources, Florida Department of State, Secretary of State, and numerous individual and corporate donors.