The Dayton Society of Natural History proudly announces it’s reopening of the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery and SunWatch Indian Village on Tuesday, June 16. Both locations have been closed since March as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the past three months, senior management has closely followed the guidelines prescribed by the state of Ohio and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to protect the health and safety of members, visitors, and staff. They will continue to monitor updates and are ready to adjust procedures as needed.
A members-only opening day on Tuesday, June 16, will be held at the Boonshoft Museum. “We need to be sure our plans for social distancing and cleaning protocols are working before we open the Museum doors to everyone,” stated Dayton Society of Natural History President and CEO, Tracey Tomme. The site will now be open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Families who may be at higher risk are encouraged to visit from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The museum will be closed to the public on Sundays and Mondays to allow for deep cleaning.
Patrons will experience the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery safely with a number of new changes designed to insure safety and cleanliness while visiting.
The museum will operate at 25% capacity to assist in crowd reduction. All staff and visitors will be required to maintain safe social-distancing guidelines, including maintaining a 6-foot distance from others. Families can stay together while keeping a safe distance from other visitors. A well-marked directional pattern through the museum will help control safe-distancing and overcrowding.
The museum is testing a new staggered and timed-entry admission process which avoids the necessity of waiting. Guests may call ahead to reserve a time slot for their visit and pay admission by phone or at the door.
Enhanced cleaning protocols are in place, including cleaning high touch-points (handrails, elevator buttons, etc.) with disinfectant on an ongoing basis. There are also regular disinfections of restrooms and other areas.
All museum staff are required to wear masks while interacting with the public. Museum visitors are encouraged to wear masks. Masks will not be provided.
Hands-on exhibits, water fountains, and vending machines have been removed or modified to eliminate contact points. Play areas featuring the climbing tower and water table have been temporarily closed.
Collections staff has recently installed a fascinating array of historical artifacts on public display.
SunWatch Indian Village will open Tuesday, June 16 to members and the public Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 to 5:00, Sundays Noon to 5:00, and closed on Mondays. The indoor exhibits will be closed but the newly updated village is not to be missed.
For more information visit their website https://www.boonshoftmuseum.org/