JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jaguars owner Shad Khan and his family are giving a $5 million gift to the Museum of Science and History as it prepares to build a new facility in the area.
MOSH announced on Oct. 15 that it was planning to move its location from the Southbank Riverwalk and build a new museum at the Shipyards. The museum started the MOSH Genesis capital campaign last year in hopes of raising $20 million in support. Khan’s gift is the largest to date.
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“The best downtown districts in the United States include urban parkland and cultural destinations, and we can have that here in Jacksonville with the Museum of Science and History anchoring a new riverfront park,” Khan said in a statement.
“I’m hoping my contribution to the capital campaign will spark additional commitment from throughout the region so we can get started on a new downtown. I am confident it will, because I know I’m not the only person in Jax who believes it’s time to finally meet and even exceed our potential.”
MOSH’s current building has been around since 1969 when it was called the Jacksonville Children’s Museum. The museum initially planned to expand, announcing in March 2019 that its MOSH 2.0 vision would take it from 77,000 square feet to 120,000 square feet in its current location. That shifted this year with its announcement of an intent to move to the Northbank’s Shipyards.
Khan has a significant interest in the development of an enhanced downtown area. He is one of the world’s wealthiest people, currently No. 66 by Forbes with a net worth of $7.8 billion, but he is investing heavily in a new-look downtown area.
Not only does he own the Jaguars, but Khan is at the forefront of trying to develop the Shipyards and Lot J, a vast mixed-use development that will include an entertainment district, office and retail space, restaurants, a hotel, a garage and residential buildings. It has a price tag of $450 million.