If you grew up in Roanoke, chances are you’ve spent at least one school field trip wandering through the Science Museum of Western Virginia at Center in the Square.
That chapter is coming to a close.
After 42 years downtown, the Science Museum will be leaving Center in the Square when its lease expires at the end of 2026, officials confirmed this week.
Center in the Square says the museum’s lease officially ends December 31, 2026, and the Science Museum will begin looking for a new location as that date approaches.
For decades, the museum has been a familiar part of downtown Roanoke — a place where kids touched exhibits, pressed buttons, asked questions, and learned by doing. It’s been part of the background of Center in the Square for so long that many locals can’t remember the building without it.
Center in the Square President and General Manager Tara Marciniak said the organization supports the Science Museum as it prepares for its next step.
“We wish them much success in finding a new location,” Marciniak said. “We’d also be happy to find new ways to support them in their next space.”
She said while Center in the Square’s mission is centered on drawing people downtown, the organization recognizes the Science Museum’s impact goes well beyond downtown Roanoke.
What Happens to the Space?
Center in the Square says it plans to share more details later about future plans for the 4th and 5th floors, where the museum is currently located. Marciniak said the focus will remain on creating spaces that are interactive, educational, and designed to keep people coming downtown.
Center in the Square has operated as a privately owned nonprofit since 1983, managing four historic buildings and housing a mix of arts, cultural, and educational organizations.
Running those buildings isn’t cheap. According to the organization, annual operating costs now exceed $3.4 million, and revenue is needed to keep the lights on and continue supporting nonprofit tenants.
In its early years, Center in the Square relied heavily on its nonprofit partners to help bring life and foot traffic downtown. In return, those groups were provided space at no cost. Today, the organization says it has to regularly evaluate how each tenant fits into that mission as financial pressures continue to grow.
A Long Partnership Comes to an End
The move marks the end of a partnership that stretches back more than four decades — but both organizations say it doesn’t signal an ending, just a change.
Center in the Square says the future looks bright for both groups as they head in different directions after 2026.
For many families, teachers, and former students, the Science Museum’s departure will feel personal. It’s not just another tenant moving out — it’s a place tied to memories, curiosity, and childhood learning.
The museum isn’t leaving Roanoke. It’s just looking for its next home.
And as downtown continues to evolve, the question now becomes: what fills that space next — and where will the Science Museum land when the doors close in 2026?