Royal BC Museum announced on Tuesday that it will be reopening to the public on June 19.
The museum has been closed since March 17 due to COVID-19.
In a press release, the museum said it has implemented “numerous physical distancing measures, engineered controls and administrative changes” in an effort to limit the potential spread of the coronavirus and keep visitors and staff safe.
Changes include a limit to the number of visitors in the galleries, timed tickets, acrylic barriers where visitors and staff interact, and an increased number of hand-washing stations throughout the museum.
“As we reopen to the public, our primary goal is to prioritize health and safety. Although we are well placed to introduce physical distancing measures, similar to those used by grocery stores, we are taking a cautious approach to re-opening as a number of operational issues need to be addressed first. These include physical changes, including better visitor paths through the galleries, the rearrangement of workspaces for staff, timed entry procedures and the availability of PPE and hygiene supplies for staff, volunteers and visitors,” said Jack Lohman, Royal BC Museum’s chief executive officer, in a press release.
ASLO READ: Royal BC Museum receives an incredible donation from Royal Jubilee Hospital School of Nursing
While the museum was closed, staff members have worked remotely on numerous projects, including scenario planning for the museum and archives’ eventual reopening.
The Royal BC Museum said although they have been closed, staff have been working remotely on a handful of projects, including “scenario planning for the museum and archives’” inevitable reopening.
When Royal BC Museum reopens on June 19, its second floor, which includes the feature exhibition Wildlife Photographer of the Year, will be open. Third-floor galleries including Our Living Languages, the First Peoples Gallery, and Old Town will remain closed, but will reopen in phases throughout the summer, the museum said.
More information is available at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca.
Nicholas Pescod
CHEK News
