Boston’s Museum of Science plans ‘major renovation’ and sets new path for inspiring visitors

The famed Museum of Science in Boston has unveiled plans for a major “renovation and reinvention” at the landmark along the Charles River that’s familiar to generations of visitors.

The museum says it will establish the “Public Science Common,” a state-of-the-art space to connect the public to Boston’s unparalleled scientific community.

The plans involve 10,000 square feet of space at the museum.

“The space is a critical part of meeting the Museum’s mission to inspire a lifelong love of science in everyone and to play a leading role in transforming the nation’s relationship with science and technology at a time of rapid innovation,” according to a statement from the Museum of Science.

The Public Science Common is being funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies. Work will begin this year and the planned completion date is 2026.

“The new convening space will serve as the central hub of the Museum’s three new Centers for Public Science Learning: the Center for Life Sciences, the Center for the Environment, and the Center for Space Sciences.

“The Public Science Common will allow us to lead the world in an exciting new direction for engaging the public with science,” said Tim Ritchie, president of the Museum of Science. “The Public Science Common will be common ground for everyone interested in science and technology. 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 new Public Service Common will replace the existing Cahners Theater creating a multimedia venue that can accommodate up to 700 people and provides 270-degree views of the Charles River through three walls of glass.

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