(UPDATE) – Center in the Square has officially confirmed it is ending its lease with the Science Museum of Western Virginia, stating it plans to reclaim the fourth and fifth floors for new programming designed to draw more visitors downtown.
In a statement, President and General Manager Tara Marciniak said the center “must routinely consider each tenant’s participation in this mission to continue receiving complimentary space.”
“We can confirm that the Science Museum of Western Virginia’s lease is expiring on Dec. 31, 2026,” Marciniak said. “We wish them much success in finding a new location.”
The statement was the first official comment from Center in the Square since WFIR broke the story.
Original story below was posted on 1/16/26
ROANOKE, Va. – The Science Museum of Western Virginia has confirmed it will be leaving its longtime home at Center in the Square and is actively exploring options for a new location.
The confirmation came in a statement Friday from Executive Director Mary Roberts Baako, following an earlier WFIR report that the museum was being forced to vacate the premises.
“While there is uncertainty as to where the museum will live beyond 2026, we have been actively exploring options for our future home,” Baako said in the release. “We look forward to sharing more soon.”
The statement sought to reassure the community, stating emphatically that the museum “is not leaving the Roanoke Valley” and that all programs will continue as scheduled through 2026.
The announcement follows a WFIR story where two people with direct knowledge of the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, confirmed the museum was given a letter stating it must vacate the downtown cultural hub by December 2026.
The decision immediately raises questions about Center in the Square’s adherence to its own founding mission, which has been its primary justification for receiving financial support from the City of Roanoke. The center was established to provide rent-free space to key cultural organizations, and its significant economic impact is a key argument for its funding.
Losing a primary tenant like the Science Museum could weaken that economic argument and challenge the fundamental premise Center in the Square uses to secure public dollars.
WFIR has still not received a comment from Center in the Square President and General Manager Tara Marciniak regarding the decision to end the museum’s lease.
