Facing a $7.3 million deficit and less than three weeks after the layoffs of 53 California Academy of Sciences employees, the museum’s executive director announced he’s resigning at the end of the month.

It’s unclear whether Scott Sampson, the executive director of the California Academy of Sciences, is resigning due to budget cuts, as the Chronicle reports. CalAcademy Workers United, which represents 37 of the 53 laid-off employees, had been using its recent “Cut From the Top” campaign to urge the museum to reduce its executives’ salaries rather than eliminate essential staff members.

As SFist recently reported, the Academy of Sciences is contending with a $7.3 million deficit, which is expected to grow to $8 million next year. When Sampson announced the latest round of layoffs last month, he said they were the museum’s third in five years. Sampson was with the museum for seven years, and his reported salary in 2025 was $885,000, according to Mission Local.

Sampson’s resignation will be effective May 29, and he’ll remain an advisor through June 30. Amber Mace, the academy’s managing director and chief strategy officer, was appointed by the board as interim executive director, per the Chronicle.

“We believe this was the correct first step in order to restore an academy leadership structure which puts the people who enact the academy’s mission first,” said Teddy Vollman, Cal Academy Workers United president, in a statement. “We look forward to working with a new team which will collaborate with us to find alternatives to layoffs and preserve this beloved San Francisco institution.”

As previously reported, about half of the laid-off employees have been continuing to show up to work during negotiations, as the layoffs require 60 days notice. Additionally, some of the layoffs may violate the terms of the union’s contract.

In a statement about the layoffs last month, Sampson attributed the academy’s financial struggles to high operating costs, declining tourism since the pandemic, and changing visitor habits, as well as the expense of maintaining 60,000 live animals and scientific collections containing nearly 46 million specimens.

Previously: Laid-Off Academy of Sciences Workers Still Showing Up For Work, Demand Salary Cuts For Execs

Image: CalAcademy Workers United/Instagram