Provost Linda Doyle has confirmed that the Science Gallery will close its door permanently this weekend.
In an email to students and staff Doyle said: “This weekend the doors will close on the final exhibition at Science Gallery Dublin as we currently know it.”
Doyle also said that although “the gallery has been wonderful”, “it has had problems in recent years”. She emphasised that “unfortunately, in its present form, with its substantial and growing debt, it cannot overcome those problems” and “the current operational model has run its course”.
Doyle has noted that this will “not be the end of the gallery story” and that “closing the gallery affords us the time to address the problems and build a new, exciting and sustainable way forward”.
She went on to say that “over the past months we have also had excellent engagement with multiple government departments who have come together in a very collaborative manner and pledged support for our future ambitions”.
However, Doyle noted that “none of what [she] said above takes from the fact that the gallery has been a source of delight and inspiration since it opened in 2008” and College is “proud to have inspired other cities around the world to adopt our vision to showcase research and ideas from science and technology in exciting new ways”.
Doyle concluded the email by thanking “everyone who has worked in, contributed to and supported Science Gallery Dublin over the years” and assuring students and staff that “over the coming months, working with the Trinity Board and others, we will keep you updated on progress as we move into a new phase of planning”.
The closure was first announced in October by the Business Post. Trinity has since confirmed the closure, explaining that it no longer considered the Gallery financially viable, with the impact of the pandemic contributing to the decision.
“Due to a sharp decline in grants and philanthropic income since 2017, the Gallery incurred substantial deficits in each of the last four financial years,” a press release claimed.
It said that the Gallery’s total debt stood at €1.65m as of 30 September 2021.
