The morning began outside Room 405, where Councilmembers Nina Ahmad, Jeffery Young Jr. and Anthony Phillips held a press conference on the Academy’s closure with the Save the Academy Coalition beside them. Phillips called it “irresponsible” that the Academy’s leadership had never come to Council before announcing the closure; Ahmad said Council would look at the financial statements, the audits and the decisions that led up to September 1 (WHYY).
The coalition’s remarks set out what it stands for: the oldest natural history museum in the United States, slated to close in the country’s 250th year, with more than 300 people at the rally in one week, 7,000 petition signatures and 4,000 Instagram followers behind the demand that it stay put and open. Inside, the public comment period filled with people who had signed up to speak for the Academy: teachers, parents, scientists, a former staff volunteer, a landscape architect who had helped save Smith Memorial Playground, a twelve-year-old. Sixty people had signed up to speak that day (Inquirer). Then, just after 11 a.m., a bag left on a chair in the chamber set off a bomb-squad evacuation of the whole building. No device was found, everyone was let back in before 1 p.m., and the session resumed with the rest of the public comment (Tribune).
“A sudden announcement of a 200-year-old institution closing within weeks? That’s not right. … We hope the City officials can help enact a time-limited moratorium on closure, sale, relocation, or irreversible dismantling, accompanied by full financial and governance disclosure and an independently managed rescue process. Do not spend millions disassembling and moving a great Pennsylvania institution; invest those dollars in repairing it, reopening it fully, employing Pennsylvanians, and making it the natural-science classroom of the Commonwealth.”Ileana Betancourt, for the Save the Academy Coalition, at the press conference
“It is a disgrace to just close down a place that past generations of children have been able to enjoy. Future generations of children deserve the same experiences. … If university administrators can make seven-figure salaries, then surely they can be expected to have experienced fundraising to try to keep the museum open.”Jack, 12, in public comment (WHYY)
“The public deserves to know whether every realistic alternative has been considered before such an important institution disappears from the public.”A supporter’s public comment, September 17
At 2:12 p.m. the Chief Clerk read the resolution: it authorizes Council’s Committee on Legislative Oversight to hold hearings “investigating the announced closure of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University’s public museum, its consequences for Philadelphia, and options to preserve the public access to and the institution’s scientific and educational mission,” with the power to subpoena testimony. Councilmember Young moved its adoption, noting it was co-introduced by Councilmember Ahmad.
The resolution passed. It was adopted by voice vote with no one opposed (Council’s session recording). That means there will be a hearing and an investigation into the closure. This is big.
“We don’t have to stay in that sorry state. There are options and opportunities to address this issue without closure being on the table.”Councilmember Nina Ahmad, from the floor, September 17
What it means. For the first time, a public body has a formal way to get the answers nobody has been given: what the museum costs to run, what closing it saves, what alternatives were considered, and who decided. A hearing with subpoena power is where those numbers come out in public. The date has not been set. When it is, we will need the biggest turnout yet.
