The Strategic Air and Space Museum cut staff and hours this week in an attempt to reduce financial losses.

The Interstate 80 museum between Lincoln and Omaha laid off six full-time employees Monday, said Interim Director Evonne Williams.

"It's a result of the economic times," Williams said Wednesday. "The board has told us we can't continue to lose money."

A staff of 12 full-time employees remains. No part-time positions were eliminated, but some hours will be reduced.

The museum's development director recently resigned as well, which means the museum has eight fewer full-time positions.

Starting this week, the museum also reduced hours. It will be closed Wednesdays during the off-season, returning to a seven-day schedule after Memorial Day.

The museum also will open at 10 a.m., an hour later than in the past.

The museum celebrates the history of aviation and space exploration with a massive exhibit gallery and a strong emphasis on education. Although it is going through tough times, it remains solvent and will continue to fulfill its mission, Williams said.

Named interim director in September after the departure of Director John McLean, Williams said the actions were approved by the museum's board of directors.

The cuts came despite modest increases in visitation and membership so far in 2009, she said.

Spiraling expenses are to blame.

"The utilities alone in a 330,000-square-foot building are enormous," she said, adding that the price for electricity has increased 25 percent this year.

IRS records show the museum lost about $1.1 million in both 2008 and 2007. Williams couldn't say if it is on a similar pace this year.

Williams was director of the Nebraska chapter of Make-A-Wish Foundation for 16 years before she joined the museum as deputy director in 2008. She said it was a painful decision to let go of museum staff.

"It's just making hard business decisions," she said. "We're running it like we owned it."

The goal is for the nonprofit museum to post no losses by 2010.

Reach Joe Duggan at 473-7239 or jduggan@journalstar.com.