City Council plans to hold at least one hearing on the planned closure of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University museum, which is set to shut its doors to the public at the end of the month.<\/p>\n
Lawmakers passed a resolution to investigate the decision on Thursday, Council\u2019s first day back from summer recess. The legislation specifically authorizes a committee to subpoena witnesses and documents.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a scientist by training, I cannot allow this announcement about the academy to be made without Drexel providing all of Philadelphia with more information on how we got to this sorry state,\u201d at-large Councilmember Nina Ahmad said.<\/p>\n
Drexel and ANS leaders announced the abrupt closure Sept. 1<\/a>; the museum\u2019s final day open will be Sunday, Sept. 27.<\/p>\n In addition to seeking answers, the hearing will help \u201cestablish a public record of alternatives,\u201d according to the text of the resolution. Ahmad has spoken about petitioning Orphans\u2019 Court or pursuing emergency capital grants for repairs to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway building.<\/p>\n She co-introduced the measure with Councilmember Jeffrey Young Jr., whose 5th District covers the Parkway museums.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the only place that our children have in the city to go to learn about the natural sciences. This is the only place we can go see a T-Rex,\u201d Young said. \u201cAs a father, I don\u2019t feel right allowing that place to just disappear.\u201d<\/p>\n The date of the hearing, which will be before Council\u2019s Committee on Legislative Oversight, has not been finalized as of Sunday.<\/p>\n ANS supporters showed up to Thursday\u2019s session in full force. An organized effort to save the museum has formed in recent weeks<\/a>. Rallies have been held outside the institution<\/a>, and a petition has garnered more than 8,400 signatures<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease save the academy,\u201d Marie Gilbert, a former academy employee, told lawmakers. \u201cAudit Drexel. Something stinky\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n Drexel President Antonio Merlo and Suzanna Biemiller, chair of ANS\u2019s Board of Trustees, have stated that rising costs associated with operating the museum are threatening the academy\u2019s ability to serve as a hub for researchers and safeguard its collection of 19 million specimens.<\/p>\n