Museum of Science & History (MOSH) has released three new conceptual renderings for its proposed museum building on a portion of the long-dormant Shipyards property along the Northbank in downtown Jacksonville.
The renderings, which were part of a presentation made this morning to Downtown Investment Authority’s Strategic Implementation Committee, show a large museum campus along with a front lawn that includes a garden, a pond, and children’s play equipment among other features. The complex, which MOSH is referring to as “MOSH Genesis,” would include elements that take advantage of its riverfront location, such as a walk-through aquifer exhibit and a water quality bio-lab.
The presentation by MOSH also emphasized the organization’s reasoning behind building a new facility, which included an increase in available parking, the potential for future expansion, and the benefits of joining the existing sports and entertainment district.
The new Northbank campus would replace MOSH’s existing structure at 1025 Museum Circle on the Southbank, which was previously set to be expanded as part of its MOSH 2.0 initiative.
The $80 million initiative, which has now shifted its attention and funding toward the new facility, was originally set to expand the existing MOSH facility to 120,000 square feet of space and reorient its entrance to face the riverfront. The museum has raised at least $2 million toward its $20 million community fundraising goal, with contributions from VyStar Credit Union and PNC Bank.
It’s still unclear what will happen to MOSH’s existing campus, which was built in the late 1960s.
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MOSH’s new facility is expected to join the recently-proposed Jacksonville Naval Museum on the Shipyards property. The city-owned land has been vacant for decades.
Work on the new facility is likely to begin sometime next year, with an early projection of 2024 as its completion date.
