August 27, 2020
After being closed to the public for nearly six months to help limit the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Science Museum of Virginia is reopening in September.
Wednesday, Sept. 2, Thursday, Sept. 3 and Friday, Sept. 4, the Museum will be open for members only. The Museum will open for all guests beginning Saturday, Sept. 5, and will be open on Labor Day.
Starting September 13, the Museum’s new operating hours will be Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Museum will be closed on Mondays for deep cleaning.
While staff are excited to welcome community members back into the building and eager to discuss all things science with curious guests, the Museum has made adjustments to help ensure a safe environment for all who enter the building.
“We have been planning for the reopening since the day we closed with a laser focus on what science is telling us about this virus,” said Chief Wonder Officer Richard Conti. “We are being very deliberate and welcoming back guests at a modest level. Just as science is a process of discovery, we will monitor operations in real time and adjust our strategy as needed along the way.”
The Museum has developed a reopening plan that is guided by recommendations from public health officials and from the best practices of museums throughout the country. The Museum has enhanced cleaning procedures, installed hands-free door handles in the restrooms and adjusted HVAC systems to increase the amount of outside air flow. Shop4Science will remain closed when the Museum reopens.
In addition, the Museum has implemented new operating policies for guests, some of which are listed below. Guests are encouraged to review the full reopening procedures on the Museum’s website at www.smv.org/welcome before their visit.
Previously scheduled to close at the end of August, the popular traveling exhibition “Giant Insects” will now be on display through November 1. The interactive elements have been removed but the six enormous, robotic insects ranging from 40 to 120 times larger than life size and terrariums featuring live bugs are still on view to excite insect lovers of all ages. “Giant Insects” is sponsored locally by Strange’s Florists, Greenhouses, & Garden Centers.
Museum staff have been hard at work for the past several months completing interior enhancements projects. Classrooms, hallways and the well-known “red stairwell” have all been repainted; tables and chairs have been thoroughly scrubbed; lighting has been installed to improve visibility in some areas of the Museum; and the café has been transformed into a flexible-use space for rentals and classes, to name a few.
In addition to the interior enhancements, exterior construction work has started on the new parking deck. Part of the Museum’s lot, the section located between the planetarium and the Children’s Museum, is closed to vehicular traffic. Once completed in early fall 2021, the deck will increase parking capacity and be more user friendly for guests. It is the first step in the Museum’s site master plan of creating a new urban green space.
“While we understand this is a different Museum experience than before the closure, we are implementing new practices for the health and safety of guests and staff,” Conti said. “What hasn’t changed about the Museum is guests encountering thought-provoking science connections and experiencing a sense of discovery, inspiration and awe. We know our community will support the decisions we are making, and for as long as they are necessary. Museums are resilient and are filled with creative, dedicated and resourceful people. As the world evolves, we too will evolve, to ensure that we remain relevant and inspirational.”
The Museum has added a number of virtual programs and enhanced its digital offerings this year. Much of that content will continue after the Museum reopens, such as live astronomy shows on Facebook each Thursday at 2 p.m., digital school demos available for educators to book this fall, virtual Lunch Break Science presentations featuring experts in the field and at-home STEM activity materials. Community members are encouraged to explore all the digital offerings on the Stay Connected page on the Museum’s website at www.smv.org/stay-connected.
About the Science Museum of Virginia
From virtual presentations featuring STEM experts to fun videos on social media to in-person experiential exhibits, the Science Museum of Virginia looks for all opportunities to inspire Virginians to enrich their lives through science. Helping curious minds discover the connections between — and their connection to — science, technology, engineering and math guides Museum staff in all they do. Learn more at www.smv.org or call 804.864.1400.