Museum of Life and Science's new parking deck to double spaces for visitors; opens Friday

The Museum of Life and Science's highly anticipated new parking deck will open to the public on Friday, March 9.

The museum will still rely on satellite parking when the deck and surface lots are full. But, on most days, visitors will be able to park on campus. Parking, as always, will remain free to visitors.

“We are so excited to open our parking deck! We believe our members are going to love the convenience and it will be easier for new visitors to come and see what the museum is all about,” said Barry Van Deman, the museum's CEO, in a press release.

Museum officials have contemplated building a deck for years.

About 275,000 people were walking through the doors in 2004. Now, it's at 550,000. And the museum isn't done adding new attractions.

In November 2016, Durham voters approved $14 million in bonds for improvements to the museum. The museum, a nonprofit, also receives ongoing public support from Durham County through a public/private partnership.

The first $7 million was spent on the parking deck, including moving the museum's facilities shop to another spot to make way for the deck.

The remaining $7 million is dedicated to more classrooms, new indoor and outdoor exhibits, maintenance and other improvements. Plans for that money are still in development.

But another big new exhibit will open later this year. Earth Moves will feature giant diggers that kids can operate; 15-foot-high sand piles; a freestanding waterfall and other pieces dedicated to teaching kids about geology, engineering, construction and related topics.

Construction on the deck began about a year ago. The three-level structure sits on the south side of the museum campus. It will provide parking for both guests and employees and includes, on the first level, six accessible spaces and two van accessible spaces. Both the current north and south surface lots will remain open and available to visitors, the press release said.

Designed by Walker Parking Consultants with RATIO and constructed by Skanska USA, the parking deck is low-impact on the surrounding environment, the press release said. The museum used dark-sky technology on the exposed upper level to reduce light pollution by focusing light where it is most needed instead of radiating it away from the building. There's also an LED lighting system that automatically adjusts light levels in response to the amount of daylight available to minimize energy consumption. And, a bio-retention pond with native plants will pre-treat deck runoff to filter out oils and particulates.

To celebrate the opening of the deck, museum staff will be outside to give a prize to the drivers of the first 10 cars that enter the deck when it opens at 9 a.m. for museum members.