The National Museum of American History and the National Museum of the American Indian will reopen on Friday, September 25.
Last Friday, September 19, the Smithsonian institution opened the doors to four of its museums for the first time since their closing earlier in March. This week, Washingtonians are in luck once again as the institution plans to open two additional museums for everyone’s enjoyment–The National Museum of American History and the National Museum of the American Indian.
Both museums will reopen at reduced capacity with new safety measures in place and will require free timed-entry passes for all visitors. Museum cafes and retail shops will not be open at this time as will all children play areas. All on-site public tours and events are also temporarily suspended, while some exhibits, galleries, interactives, theaters and indoor spaces may also be closed or operating at limited capacity. These are their new hours:
- National Museum of American History: Open Friday to Tuesday with reduced hours of operation, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Visitors will enter through the entrance on Constitution Avenue, between 12th and 14th streets N.W. The National Mall entrance will be closed.
- National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.: Open Wednesday to Sunday with reduced hours of operation, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. The museum’s location in New York, the George Gustav Heye Center, remains temporarily closed to the public.
Social distancing and face coverings will be obligatory for all visitors 6 or older. Below you can find a full break down of the Smithsonian’s new health and safety measures against COVID-19:
- Requesting that all visitors who are sick or do not feel well stay home.
- Requiring that visitors ages 6 and older wear face coverings during their visit. Face coverings are strongly recommended for visitors ages 2 and older, per CDC guidelines.
- Closely monitoring and limiting the number of people in each museum. Visitors will need to obtain a free timed-entry pass in advance of their visit. Beginning today, visitors can reserve passes online or by phone and select the desired date and time for their visit.
- Implementing safe social distancing, including one-way paths and directional guidance where appropriate.
- Providing hand-sanitizing stations for visitors and conducting enhanced cleaning throughout all facilities.
- Establishing maximum capacity for restrooms to accommodate safe social distancing.
Tickets can be booked online or by phone at 1-800-514-3849, ext. 1.
See also: A New Museum Dedicated To The Latinx Community In America Could Open Soon On The National Mall
[Featured image courtesy of Smithsonian Institution]