The St. Petersburg City Council is stepping in to support the future of the Science Center of Pinellas County, framing its efforts as a defense of scientific inquiry itself.

Council members are preparing to review proposals aimed at restoring and reopening the facility, which has been closed and fallen into disrepair. Some officials and advocates argue that the center has been targeted by political pressure and neglect.

Critics warn the city’s previous plans—including converting portions of the site into utility storage—would undermine the center’s mission. In response, the council is pushing back, saying it wants to preserve the institution as a public educational resource.

The Science Center, now formally known as the Science and Technology Education Innovation Center, occupies seven acres in West St. Petersburg and has historically hosted exhibits, planetarium shows, and outreach programming.

While the details of funding, timelines, and structural renovation remain unsettled, city leaders emphasize that the upcoming council session will be crucial in determining what role the city and local stakeholders will play in reviving the center.

Opponents have expressed concern that political motivations, not purely budgetary constraints, have influenced the center’s decline. Supporters counter that council intervention is overdue to prevent further erosion of the center’s scientific and educational mission.

Decisions made in the coming weeks will likely shape not just the center’s future, but also St. Petersburg’s commitment to science education and public outreach.

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