Asheville Museum of Science is new name for Colburn Earth Science Museum

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Asheville’s Colburn Earth Science Museum has a new name and a new interim executive director.

The museum’s board voted recently to change the 55-year-old museum’s name to the Asheville Museum of Science. Also, Anna Saylor has been named the museum’s interim executive director, with former ED Vicky Ballard moving into an advisory role.

The name change will reflect a new museum mission. Instead of focusing on earth sciences, the Asheville Museum of Science will focus on “interactive general science.”

The changes come as the museum moves from basement space in Pack Place in the heart of downtown Asheville to the ground floor of the Wells Fargo bank building on Patton Avenue in downtown. (The building is also known as the Callen Center, named for Miami real estate investor Claire Callen, who bought the bank building across from Pritchard Park three years ago for $2.8 million.)

The plan for the building is to create a hub for education and entrepreneurial efforts. Along with the museum, a collaborative business known as The Collider is also planning to open in the building.