When do you think museums will open up?

[Anonymous]

Phase 2? Phase 3?

I don’t think museums are open at the newly reopened areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Phase 2? Phase 3?

I don’t think museums are open at the newly reopened areas.

I don't think many of the newly reopened areas are renowned for their museums.

[Anonymous]

Hopefully not for another 6 months. Who is going to go to stand around for 2+ hours breathing stagnant air from other people??

[Anonymous]

You're going to have to find something else to do for a while, OP.

[Anonymous]

I think we need to prioritize things for opening that contribute to the economy. Museums would carry significant risk, and relatively little economic benefit, especially in this area where most of them aren't dependent on entrance fees. Perhaps the staff can make educational programs and virtual field trips during the closure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think we need to prioritize things for opening that contribute to the economy. Museums would carry significant risk, and relatively little economic benefit, especially in this area where most of them aren't dependent on entrance fees. Perhaps the staff can make educational programs and virtual field trips during the closure.

New poster. I agree that other things need to open first; however, please be aware that even in this area, there are many smaller museums that do depend on entrance fees, donations (which are down, everywhere), paid programs, events held in the evenings and on weekends. Not all museums even in the DC area are free-admission Smithsonians. All these fee-paying museums have staff -- sometimes more staff than you see when you visit, people working behind the scenes. They're affected by the closures too.

And historic sites like Mount Vernon are not necessarily National Park Service or state park sites getting federal or state money (in fact MV itself is 100 percent privately funded). If we want them to be there for the future, we do need to support them during this time if we can, and visit them when they reopen.

Again, I do totally agree that there are other priorities that come first! But it would be an immensely sad result of this pandemic if in a few years' time we realized that museums, especially smaller ones, had simply folded, and were no longer there. It's something to consider when things do reopen; I hope people will be as eager to get to museums and historic sites as they seem to be on these forums to get to malls and stores.

As for "significant risk" -- museums would seem to be able to have less risk than stores. It's very doable for museums limit admission numbers, greatly limit numbers they admit and numbers allowed in galleries/rooms, and temporarily eliminate hands-on exhibits and activities. Museums are already used to having docents and guards who tell people to wait to enter areas, or who already are used to telling people not to touch items etc. Museums would seem already better prepared to address visitors who violate distancing or touching rules than stores or malls are. Just a thought.

[Anonymous]

Adding to above: Museums and sites have been doing educational videos and content and virtual field trips etc. since long before the closure and have ramped that up since the closure.
Anyone with kids at home seeking content to bolster their home schooling, or things to do yourself, should look at museum, historic site, and Park Service websites! Great stuff is available.

[Anonymous]

Phase 3

I think Phase 2 was meant to be for things that are vital to the economy but "high touch" like hair salons, nail salons, gyms and fitness studios, restaurants, bars etc.

[Anonymous]

I suspect the Smithsonian museums will open fairly soon. They're under Trump's authority, and he's in a hurry to return to normality. He's so confident that the virus will disappear with the heat, I'm pretty sure he'll want them open for the summer tourist season.

I think opening them anytime soon is a huge mistake. Just because they're open does not mean they'll be safe. Regardless of what trump says about liberating states (or museums), the medical experts seem to be in universal agreement that it's not time to open things back up yet. Moreover, they are saying that opening things up doesn't mean the public is safe from COVID, it just means that they expect the number of people who will assuredly get COVID won't overwhelm medical resources.

[Anonymous]

I think this will be a fairly easy thing to do. Keep up with the online programming (virtual field trips etc) and strictly limit the flow of people coming in and out.

The vital fundraisers though? The galas and special events that bring in much needed private money? Not in 2020.

[Anonymous]

I'm generally in favor of thoughtfully beginning to reopen soon, but museums are a bad idea anytime soon. They are indoor places that draw people from a wide geographic area. To me, that makes them riskier than schools or workplaces where you see the same people everyday so the spread is contained somewhat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm generally in favor of thoughtfully beginning to reopen soon, but museums are a bad idea anytime soon. They are indoor places that draw people from a wide geographic area. To me, that makes them riskier than schools or workplaces where you see the same people everyday so the spread is contained somewhat.

Agree. Smithsonian makes DC a tourist destination. Not a good idea for summer.

[Anonymous]

I heard today that 1/6 of all museums may close as a result of Covid.

[Anonymous]

I hope the zoo opens soon! What’s the harm in that.

[Anonymous]

I think the zoo will open soon. Much sooner than the other museums. They may close the indoor exhibits for awhile though.