The project will bring a new museum to the Shipyards East area on the Northbank of Downtown Jacksonville, USA, which will comprise 130,000sq ft for exhibitions, programs and events along with a new-and-improved space for the planetarium.

The museum’s new building will be constructed on a 2.5-acre site with  construction due to get underway in 2023.

“Jacksonville is a dynamic city, and MOSH is an established leader within its cultural community,” said Dave Campbell, Balfour Beatty project executive.

MOSH has operated in its current location on the Southbank of Downtown Jacksonville since 1969. The museum’s operations have outgrown the 77,000sq ft facility; building a new museum will significantly expand the organization’s capacity to serve more students and visitors. Early projections estimate that by building a new facility at the Jacksonville Shipyards, MOSH will be able to serve 58,000 students (a 50 per cent increase over pre-pandemic numbers) and 469,000 visitors (a 168 per cent increase) each year.