Missoula science museum faces federal funding cuts from DOGE | National News

MISSOULA, Mont. – The spectrUM Discovery Area, a science museum backed by the University of Montana and located in the Missoula Public Library, is facing financial challenges due to federal funding cuts.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has cut two major federal grants, each worth $250,000 over three years, impacting spectrUM significantly. The museum’s director, Alex Sobin, expressed disappointment over the cuts. “It’s pretty disappointing because we had some really great work that we were doing,” Sobin said. “And we’re really sad to see that money go.”

The first grant, focused on measuring impact, allowed the museum to evaluate its activities and programs to best serve the needs of the Missoula community. This included partnerships with library organizations and outreach efforts to places like Seeley Lake. Sobin explained the importance of this grant, stating, “That grant was helping us to do stuff like survey our membership and, do listening sessions for the community so that we could find out what people actually want from their library and their museums.”

The second grant was the Cultures in Motion, which enabled the museum to adapt its science curriculum for various cultures and immigrant populations, ensuring inclusivity and translation services. “Without funding for that, it’s a lot harder to do things like that for, interpretation and translation services,” Sobin added.

Despite these funding challenges, spectrUM will continue operating all its programs, though the cuts may impact operational efficiency. Sobin reassured the community, saying, “We just want everyone to know that spectrUM is not going to close our doors. We’re going to keep doing the good work. And we really appreciate all of the love and response it has been from the community during this tough time for our funding.”

For those interested in supporting spectrUM, the nonprofit will participate in a fundraising event next Thursday and Friday.

The decision to cut the grants was explained in a letter from DOGE, stating that the grant is “no longer consistent with the agency’s priorities and no longer serves the interest of the United States and the IMLS program.”