Sci-Quest closes

Sci-Quest Hands-on Science Center has closed. This rendering shows the facade for the proposed, unsuccessful site for Sci-Quest on Madison Boulevard in 2012. CONTRIBUTED

HUNTSVILLE – Sci-Quest has closed.

On Feb. 16, officials at Sci-Quest Hands-on Science Center, 1435 Paramount Drive announced permanent closure of the children’s interactive museum, effective immediately.

Sci-Quest Board of Directors determined that, due to a lack of sufficient funding from outside sources, it cannot continue to operate, executive director Cyndy Morgan said.

“Sci-Quest has been an integral part of our local community for nearly 20 years, with 15 years located at Calhoun Community College and the last two years at Paramount Drive,” Morgan said.

“The staff and board of directors express their gratitude to families of North Alabama for making Sci-Quest a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) educational treasure for the past two decades,” Morgan said.

Morgan thanked current and former employees, volunteers, individual and corporate charitable donors, City of Huntsville and “others that have helped the hands-on science center over the years.”

For several years, the City of Madison allocated an annual appropriation to Sci-Quest and also assisted in the proposed move to the site of the former Winn-Dixie grocery store on Madison Boulevard, according to Madison City Council.

However, Sci-Quest decided against relocation to that property, which was privately owned and was partially renovated for the museum. The City of Madison with Mayor Paul Finley and Taylor Edge, Executive Assistant to the Mayor, worked diligently to facilitate Sci-Quest’s move to Madison, which did not materialize, council stated.

In November 2014, Morgan released this statement: “Sci-Quest and the City of Madison worked hard to raise the necessary funding to carry out the planned move, but unfortunately the local economy at the time was unable to support such a large investment. Sci-Quest is now located … less than one mile from Madison City.”

“We have had a great response to our new location by residents from all communities in Madison County and communities beyond Madison County. We have great visibility and access now and have had more visitors each month than ever before since we started tracking in 1999,” Morgan said in the statement.

However, Morgan said on Feb. 16 that Sci-Quest “is investigating options” to continue hands-on STEM education in other ways within the community.