HOUSTON — The Houston Museum of Natural Science is slated to open its doors on Friday for the first time since it closed back on March 17 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We're opening, safely, and that's what's most exciting," said Dr. Carolyn Sumners, curator and vice president of astronomy. "We figured out how to do it,"
Sumners said the museum is ready and new measures are in place across the museum to keep visitors healthy. They'll start off operating at 25 percent capacity.
"We can have 1,000 people at a time because we're so big, and we can socially distance that many people," said Sumners.
If they hit that threshold, ticket sales will stop until it's safe to let more people in. Most of the museum will be open including a new earth exhibit called "Gaia." But visitors will find some interactive favorites and theaters closed.
"Any hall that people would typically touch where the hall invites you to open drawers and look at little things, like our Cabinet of Curiosities, we can't open that yet because we don't know how to keep it clean enough," said Sumners.
Visitors older than 10 will be required to wear face masks.
Despite the changes Sumners said there's still plenty of opportunities for kids and families to learn.
"Most of it you can consume with your eyes and not your hands, so that makes it a safe place to be," said Sumners.
There will be social distancing reminders everywhere along with sanitizer stations. The museum is routinely cleaned and disinfected throughout the day and exhibit rooms will only have one way in and out.
"We're working hard so no crowds build up," said Sumners. "You come in one open space and leave out another open space. All staff wear masks. We all get our temperature taken if we're an employee. The rest is up to you."
Sumners said in the past families would rush through the museum. Now, she's encouraging folks to truly take their time with their children and soak up every nook and cranny.
If you plan to come out to the museum, they encourage you to purchase your tickets in advance online, which will prevent lines from forming outside and help them enforce social distancing even more.
"Because we're big, because we're open, because we're airy, it's time to come to the Museum of Natural Science," said Sumners.
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