Published on July 31, 2023 at 5:10 pm
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Jacksonville’s Museum of Science & History is nearly halfway to it fundraising goal to build an expanded museum on the Northbank.
A $1 million donation this week from the Harden Family Foundation put the MOSH Genesis capital campaign close to $20 million.
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Museum CEO Bruce Fafard says fundraising remains a top priority as the museum works to hit a $40 million capital goal by the end of the year. He envisions no issues as he plans to retire in February.
“We are very close to hitting that $20 million mark, so we have a lot of (momentum). The next item is to ensure that we continue to maintain the success that we have had,” he says.
Fafard says he understands the museum hopes to have a new CEO start Jan. 1, providing a 60-day overlap with his tenure — “where I can provide as much support and assistance to that new individual as possible.”
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MOSH opened in 1969 at 1025 Museum Circle on the city’s Southbank. Museum officials had initially planned to expand the existing 77,000-square-foot building. Then the decision was made to build a new, larger home. A consultant estimated that a 130,000-square-foot building on the Northbank would increase annual attendance from 175,000 to 469,000 and create 78 jobs.
The Downtown Investment Authority voted unanimously in 2021 to support a 40-year city lease for MOSH on 2.5 acres of the Shipyards along East Bay Street, with a riverwalk and planned park space. That site is on TIAA Bank Field’s Lot X across from Intuition Aleworks at East Bay Street and A. Philip Randolph Boulevard. It is just east of the Jacksonville Fire Museum and Pier 1, the home of the USS Orleck naval ship museum.
New signs now mark Lot X’s future occupant, with a QR Code and website leading people to a website about the new MOSH. The museum proposes a proposes opening in 2026.
Just over a year ago, MOSH released illustrations of the planned new museum, created by DLR Group in partnership with kasper architects + associates and SCAPE. It named the concept MOSH Genesis, saying the exterior design was inspired by the flow of water that has played such an important role in Jacksonville’s history.
Local Projects’ interior designs for the new MOSH have a heavy focus on the nearby St. Johns River. Visitors will first experience a dramatic two-story “river drop” water feature that showcases the full 27-foot drop the river takes from its Central Florida source to the ocean.
They will be able to take pathways that mimic the river’s role in connecting the region, viewing themed collections showing off Northeast Florida’s nature, innovation and culture. Each display island will have a permanent gallery, interactive main exhibit and four supporting exhibits.
The 100,000-square-foot, three-story building has the option to add another 30,000 square feet of display space. Its initial price tag of $85 million has risen to $100 million now, due to inflation and supply chain issues, Fafard says.
MOSH officials say they were not at liberty to disclose how many donors have contributed to the Genesis fundraising or exactly how much as been raised, out of respect for the donors’ privacy. But the Harden donation will be honored through the naming of the River Patio at the museum. The Harden Family Foundation is led by M.C. Harden III, a Jacksonville business leader who was part of the Jax Chamber’s economic development division.
“During my time on the economic development committee, we recommended locating a cultural facility within the sports and entertainment district that could support year-round activity,” Harden says in a news release. “That was several decades ago. Finally, we are close to seeing that recommendation become a reality through MOSH’s exciting vision for the future. Together with my family, I am proud to contribute to this worthy endeavor.”
News about more new donors are expected soon in the Genesis capital campaign, Fafard says.
“We are actively engaged at the state level to determine what kind of financial support we can get there,” Fafard says. “And now, fortunately because we have the legal agreements in place for the land, we are able to apply for federal grant money that we were not able to access prior. A lot of grants at the federal level, especially the capital grants, one requirement is that you have to have land.”
MOSH’s staff is also seeking private philanthropy from residents willing to support the vision of a new museum.
Construction of the new museum should take about 18 months after groundbreaking, which has not been announced yet until “‘certain milestones are met,” MOSH officials say. The current Southbank MOSH will remain open throughout construction.
Jacksonville Today reporter Will Brown contributed to this report
