California Academy of Science cuts jobs, cites multi-million dollar deficit

SAN FRANCISCO - The California Academy of Science is laying off more than 50 employees amid a multi-million dollar deficit and even more in losses projected for the current year.

Budget shortfalls

What they're saying:

In a prepared statement, Cal Academy's executive director Scott Sampson said 53 employees – constituting about 9.3 % of the staff – would be let go as the academy struggles with a cash deficit of $7.3 million from 2025, and a projected deficit of more than $8 million in the current year.

"Today we shared the difficult news with the Academy’s team that we would be implementing a round of staffing and budget reductions to address our recurring deficit and create a clear path to a financially sustainable future," Sampson said.

Additionally, about 32 positions – or approximately 5.6% of the Cal Academy team – are being offered new positions or having their hours reduced.

Sampson also said that the academy would also make "targeted cuts" to some programs, particularly those that are adversely affected by the planned job cuts.

"Reducing staff is always a last resort," Sampson said. "Our dedicated staff members are the lifeblood of the Academy and are instrumental in propelling our mission forward. We also recognize that this step may feel particularly challenging given that, like many other organizations, the Academy has been through two cycles of reductions and re-growth since 2020 as we work to stabilize our finances and the scale of our operations in a post-pandemic landscape."

Operating costs and lower turnout

Dig deeper:

Sampson said that the deficits were due in part to the high costs of maintaining and operating Cal Academy, "including caring for the 60,000 live animals and stewarding our scientific collections of nearly 46 million specimens."

He added that a post-pandemic decline in tourism and shifts in audience behavior as contributing factors to the budget shortfalls.

"Collectively, these factors have placed downward pressure on revenue, while the costs of running the organization have continued to rise," Sampson said.

Sampson added that the cuts will allow the academy to continue "providing meaningful scientific research, learning experiences, and community engagement for generations to come, while fulfilling our purpose of regenerating the natural world."