The Museum of Science & History plans a new, larger museum on the Northbank. | MOSH
Published on January 28, 2026 at 9:25 am
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The Museum of Science & History will get an extra six months to break ground on its new Downtown Northbank facility.
City Council voted 18-0 on Tuesday on Ordinance 2025-0841, which amends the city’s agreement with MOSH leaders and gives them until Sept. 1 to begin construction of the estimated $131 million-plus museum.
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That means passersby likely won’t see earth moving at the 2.5-acre site along East Bay Street on March 1 — the deadline to begin construction in MOSH’s previous deal with the city.
The changes come as MOSH’s board of directors begins its search for a new CEO, after former CEO Alistair Dove resigned this month.
The nonprofit museum also is trying to raise the final $35 million to $45 million for its new location — a process that started five years ago. The city has put $50 million into the project, which has also received several million from the state of Florida.
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The new timeline means the Northbank MOSH could finish construction in January 2029. But the city’s Downtown Investment Authority, without City Council’s approval, could grant one more six-month extension, pushing opening back to summer 2029.
City Council member Joe Carlucci, who represents the Downtown Southbank, which MOSH called home for 58 years, says he’s confident in the museum’s ability to secure the final dollars.
During City Council’s Finance Committee meeting last week, Carlucci asked MOSH leaders to return in March with a fundraising report.
“I just want to feel like we’re, a little bit, being kept in the loop on fundraising efforts because it’s that last stretch, and we don’t want to get to six months and feel like we could have maybe removed some hurdles for you guys or done something,” he said. “But, otherwise, like I said, a great project. Big fan and supporter.”
MOSH parking
The bill passed Tuesday drops MOSH’s previous request to reduce the amount of on-site parking in its city agreement from 75 to 30 parking spaces. Council members Ron Salem and Chris Miller had raised concerns that the reduced parking would not be enough for visitors and employees.
MOSH leaders were working with the city to provide parking in the city-controlled garages that service VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena about two blocks away, but some council members felt that was too far away.
MOSH attorney Emily Piece, with the Rogers Towers law firm, told the council’s Neighborhoods, Community Services, Public Health and Safety Committee on Jan. 20 that the museum’s architects were asked to redraft the parking plan to accommodate the 75 spaces.
Demolishing the old MOSH
Across the St. Johns River, demolition could start on the old MOSH site in the next three to four months, Carlucci told Jacksonville Today.
MOSH in May closed its Southbank museum, which officials said was becoming more difficult to maintain. On Jan. 21, the DIA board approved $875,000 to demolish the building, which sits on city-owned land at 1025 Museum Circle.
According to the Jacksonville Daily Record, a Jacksonville Today news partner, the city is reviewing a permit application for ELEV8 Demolition of Jacksonville to demolish the four-story, 83,299-square-foot building.
It sits adjacent to property where Miami-based Related Group is soon scheduled to break ground on two residential towers — one 25-story and the second eight-story and an attached parking garage.
Carlucci said Tuesday that he expects it will “get a lot of attention” when the city issues a formal request for proposals to redevelop the MOSH property later this year. But he doesn’t expect it to be used for for-rent housing.
“There is obviously a lot of interest in that site but nothing formal or specific yet,” Carlucci told Jacksonville Today in a text message. “Preferred use is probably retail, hotel or multiuse. Not apartments.”
