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Get ready for even more giant fossils and hanging blue whales (we hope)—the American Museum of Natural History filed its expansion plans on Thursday with the Landmarks Preservation Committee.
Expansion plans were first revealed in November, but the plans have been altered since then to accommodate some complaints and concerns. The expansion will cost $325 million and take over 235,000 square feet, but three buildings are being eliminated as another is being expanded upon. The Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation is being built into Theodore Roosevelt Park—it will take up a quarter of an acre of space and mow down seven precious trees (which UWS residents have been up in arms about).
This is, of course, a long ways from being completed, or even from breaking ground. The LPC will have to approve the proposal, as well as the Cultural Affairs Department and the Parks Department. The approximate opening date is 2019 or 2020.
Check out some renderings of the new spaces below:
Courtesy AMNH
Courtesy AMNH
Courtesy AMNH
h/t 6sqft