After temporarily closing its doors on 13th March to protect the health and safety of visitors, staff and volunteers, the National WW2 Museum will officially reopen to the public on Memorial Day, May 25th, 2020.
Following government advice, the Museum will operate at 25 per cent of the total capacity while enacting new safety measures to ensure the virus isn’t spread within the attraction. Guests will be able to purchase tickets online in advance, social distancing guidelines will be enforced throughout the pavilions and galleries, and enhanced sanitising and cleaning protocols will be in place.
A statement on the museum’s website said, “while we are grateful to reopen, our priority is the health and safety of our visitors, local community members and our entire Museum family. Over the past eight weeks, we’ve carefully developed reopening guidelines with the help of more than 20 national organizations, peer institutions across the state and country, the American Alliance of Museums and various local health experts.”
Throughout the initial phase of reopening, most of the museum’s galleries, exhibits and experiences will be available, with controlled attendance to allow for social distancing between visitors. Guests will follow a guided path throughout the attraction, entering through one door and exiting from another.
Most interactive exhibits will be accessible through the use of disposable styluses which will be provided upon arrival, although some interactives may be turned off altogether. The cleaning procedure will be enhanced throughout the museum, including an increased frequency of disinfecting high traffic surfaces. Guests will be required to wear masks during the initial reopening phase, with complimentary masks given out to those who require one.
As a symbol of gratitude, the Museum is offering free admission to medical professionals and first responders who helped make reopening possible. Additionally, the Museum will offer half-off admission to Louisiana residents on Mondays and will again participate in the Blue Star Museums program by offering free admission to active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve.
The reopening of the museum will be particularly meaningful to US citizens, as it will take place on Memorial Day, to honour fallen military personnel who served the country.
