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| Courtesy Detroit Science Center |
The Detroit Free Press reports on the latest departure from the Detroit Science Center, which closed indefinitely last year:
“Francois Castaing, chairman of the board of the Detroit Science Center since 1998 and widely identified with its renaissance during the 2000s, resigned from the institution Wednesday.
“His departure follows that of former president Kevin Prihod, who left in August in the wake of $1.6 million in losses at the museum since 2009 and $5.8 million in combined real estate and bank debt on which it has defaulted.
“The Science Center has been closed since Sept. 26 with nearly all its staff laid off. Saying the closing was temporary, leaders have been seeking $5 million in emergency funding they say is necessary to sustain operations for a year and allow the institution to pay down some of its debt.”
The Detroit Children’s Museum, established in 1917, has ceased operations as well. In 2010, the Science Center replaced Detroit Public Schools as the operator of the Children’s Museum and the closure of the smaller institution is a result of the Science Center’s current financial situation. The Detroit News reports:
“The Children’s Museum, however, had limited federal funding that allowed it to remain open through December. Science Center board member Shelly Otenbaker confirmed in an email exchange today it closed just before New Year’s, and that the Museum, like the Science Center, will remain closed until officials can raise the requisite money to reopen.”