Museum of Science in Boston announces "major renovation" plans
BOSTON - The Museum of Science in Boston announced Tuesday that it will soon be undergoing a "major renovation."
The existing Cahners Theater will be transformed into a new venue called the "Public Science Common." The 10,000-square-foot area overlooking the Charles River is envisioned as a "state-of-the-art convening space that will connect the public to Boston's unparalleled scientific community."
Work will start this year and it is expected to finish in 2026. The museum didn't say how much it will cost, but Bloomberg Philanthropies will be a leading funder.
New Public Science Common
The Public Science Common space will be a multimedia venue capable of accommodating 700 people. It will allow for "multiple programming in a single space," the museum says.
The new space will act as a hub for the museum's Center for Life Sciences, Center for the Environment and Center for Space Sciences initiatives.
"Common ground" for science and technology
"The Public Science Common will be common ground for everyone interested in science and technology," Museum of Science president Tim Ritchie said in a statement. "It will be a place for people to bring their ideas and hopes, questions, and doubts. It will be a place where industry, academia, government, and the public can think out loud and solve problems together."
The architect behind the new space, William Rawn Associates, has also worked on the redesign of the Boston Public Library's central branch and the Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood.
The project will also help the museum work toward its goal of carbon neutrality by 2035.