Museum of Science and History facts for kids
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| Former name | Jacksonville Children's Museum |
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| Established | 1941 |
| Location | 1025 Museum Circle, Jacksonville, Florida |
| Public transit access | Bus: B7, CT3, SS6, SS8, SS35, SS50 Monorail: San Marco Station Southbank Line
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The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) is a cool museum in Jacksonville, Florida. It's a special museum that's not run by the government. It's on the Southbank Riverwalk and lots of people visit it! MOSH teaches you about science and the history of Jacksonville. It has a big exhibit that changes every few months. There are also three floors of amazing permanent exhibits and a cool Bryan-Gooding Planetarium where you can explore space.
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The Museum's Story
MOSH started a long time ago, in 1941. It was first called the Jacksonville Children's Museum. Its first home was a beautiful old house in Riverside.
In 1965, they started building the museum where it is now. The new building opened in 1969. In 1977, the museum changed its name to the Jacksonville Museum of Arts and Sciences.
Six years later, in 1983, the museum was officially recognized by the American Alliance of Museums. This means it met high standards for museums. In 1988, the name changed again to the Museum of Science and History.
A big new part was added, including the planetarium. The planetarium was first called the Alexander Brest Planetarium. The museum was made even bigger in 1994.
In 2010, the planetarium got new equipment and was renamed the Bryan-Gooding Planetarium. The museum was recognized again by the American Alliance of Museums in 2011.
In 2013, a new exhibit called JEA PowerPlay: Understanding Our Energy Choices opened. The JEA Science Theater was also updated. In 2016, another new exhibit, Health in Motion: Discover What MOVES, opened.
A New Home for MOSH
In 2021, MOSH announced exciting plans for a new museum! It will move to the Northbank area of downtown Jacksonville. A company called DLR Group is designing the new building. The new museum will be much bigger, giving more space for exhibits.
The Museum's Closure
The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) closed its doors on August 31, 2025. This closure is happening so the museum can focus on building its new home. Dr. Alistair Dove, the CEO of MOSH, explained that the old building was getting old. He understood that people were ready for something new.
Building a new museum takes a lot of time and effort. The team wants to put all their energy into designing the new museum. They don't want to try to run the old museum at the same time. Construction for the new location is expected to begin in early 2026. It will take about 18 months to finish.
If you were a member of MOSH, you can still visit other museums for free. You can use your membership at museums that are part of the NARM or ASTC networks.
Awesome Exhibits at MOSH
MOSH has many cool exhibits that teach you about different things. Here are some of the main ones:
- Health in Motion: This exhibit is interactive and shows you how the human body works.
- Atlantic TAILS: Coastal Creatures of Northeast Florida: Learn all about the animals that live near the coast in Northeast Florida.
- JEA Powerplay: Discover how we use energy and make choices about it.
- JEA Science Theater: Watch exciting live science shows and demonstrations.
- Florida Naturalist's Center: See local amphibians, reptiles, and birds from Northeast Florida.
- Currents of Time: A History of Jacksonville & Northeast Florida: Explore the history of Jacksonville and The First Coast. It covers everything from ancient times to the 1950s.
- Hixon Native Plant Courtyard: This outdoor area shows plants native to Northeast Florida. It helps people learn about and protect local plant species.
- Space Science Gallery: This is a great place to learn about space exploration. It's also where you get ready for your show in the Bryan-Gooding Planetarium.
- Interpreting Northeast Florida: A Historic Mural by Elmer Grey: See a beautiful mural that tells stories about Northeast Florida's history.
- Kidspace: A special interactive area just for children under 5 years old.
- Bryan-Gooding Planetarium: Watch amazing shows about stars, planets, and space. It's one of the biggest planetariums in the United States with a single lens.
Past Special Exhibits
The museum also had special exhibits that changed often. These are called "traveling exhibits" because they often move from one museum to another.
- Playing With Lights: This exhibit used lasers to let visitors play with light. You could poke, prod, and bend light at 21 different stations.
- Bicentennial exhibit: This exhibit showed how big events shaped Jacksonville's economy and environment. It included things like fires, floods, and diseases.
- WeaveTales: This exhibit helped people understand refugees and their families. It shared stories about refugees in North Florida. It also highlighted one woman's journey to Jacksonville. This exhibit was also shown at the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville.
