American Museum Of Natural History Lays Off 100s Of Staff: Report

UPPER WEST SIDE, MANHATTAN — Hundreds of employees at the American Museum of Natural History have been laid off or furloughed because of the financial strain of the coronavirus pandemic, the New York Times reports.

The museum announced this week that it would lay off 200 of its full-time employees and put another 250 on indefinite furlough.

The cuts mean that the 1,100 employees will be reduced by about 20 percent, which includes 68 layoffs, 70 voluntary retirements and other workers whose contracts are expiring, according to the Times.

“These actions are gut-wrenching,” Ellen V. Futter, the museum’s president, said in a statement, “but we are compelled to make them to protect the museum and its mission of research, science education, caring for our collections, and providing access for visitors.”

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The lay-offs come as the museum, like many businesses and nonprofits in New York City and across the country, face the financial strain of the coronavirus pandemic.

The American Museum of Natural History projects a budget deficit of between $80 million and $120 million for the remainder of this fiscal year, the Times reports.

The museum closed its doors in mid-March as the coronavirus began to spread throughout the city. It has since switched to a line-up of online programming.

The museum also told the Times that there will be graduated salary reductions for employees who make $100,000 a year and up.

To read the full New York Times story click here.

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