Trinity’s Science Gallery had an accumulated deficit of €1.65 million in September 2021, Trinity has said, following a briefing to College Board about the gallery’s future.
The board was told that due to a sharp decline in grants and philanthropic income since 2017, the gallery incurred significant deficits in each of the last four financial years.
Board was also briefed on the ongoing discussions with the Department of Higher Education and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media about the future of the Science Gallery.
In a press statement, Trinity Media Relations Officer Catherine O’Mahony said that Provost Linda Doyle and other Trinity officials met with officials from the two departments this week to discuss the future of the gallery. These discussions will continue, she said.
“Trinity remains committed to the Science Gallery Network and intends to consult with members on how best to re-imagine Science Gallery Dublin in the future”, O’Mahony added.
Last week, The University Times reported that the future of the Science Gallery is likely to be decided in the next few days, with the possibility of a government bailout on the table to resolve the gallery’s financial issues.
The Business Post reported last month that the gallery was to close in February 2022 due to financial unviability, but a source familiar with the developments told this newspaper that the closure was not yet definite.
Concerns over the number of staff the gallery employs, as well as the impact of the pandemic, have featured in discussions surrounding the gallery’s future.
A petition has been launched against the possible closure of the gallery. At the time of writing, it has amassed 3,817 signatures.
The petition reads: “Thousands have visited the Science Gallery over the years, to learn more about the world we live in, to make treasured memories with family and friends, to see the amazing amount of effort that goes into every part of every exhibition and installation.”
“To close the Science Gallery is to close another valuable part of Dublin’s culture.”
The extended closure of the gallery during the pandemic was a factor in the decision. It re-opened last Friday.
The Science Gallery opened in 2008 and aimed to encourage interest in scientific discovery and creativity through its exhibits, which combined art and science. More than three million visitors have attended since its opening.
It is part of the Global Science Gallery Network, created by Trinity, which has other locations in London, Melbourne and Berlin. Other galleries will not be closing.
Chris Horn, who served as chairman of the Science Gallery’s governing board until 2012, told the Business Post that he was surprised by the decision.
It provided a platform to “experiment with the potential social and ethical consequences of new research”, he added.
The current exhibition, “BIAS”, is an interactive exploration of preferences, prejudices and digital equity. It interrogates how prejudice can move from human to machine, as algorithms and artificial intelligence systems are encoded by humans.
