After months of being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Smoky Hill Museum is scheduled to reopen near the end of the month.
The museum is scheduled to reopen to the public on Sept. 29, 2020. Temporary reduced hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The slightly reduced hours will allow museum staff time to perform enhanced cleaning measures to protect visitors and guests.
“We hope to give our visitors as full an experience as possible, while also providing a safe and enjoyable learning environment,” said Museum Director Susan Hawksworth. “It has been a quiet summer and we are eager to welcome visitors and shoppers back to the museum.”
At this time, museum staff are taking additional precautions. In addition to heightened cleaning, the museum and its galleries have been treated with Prevent X, a long-lasting antimicrobial that provides continuous surface protection in between regular cleaning and disinfecting. Plexi-glass barriers have been installed at the welcome desk and the museum store counter. Sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizer are stationed throughout the galleries for visitor use. While many interactive elements are still available, some have been temporarily removed or cordoned off for visitor protection.
Museum visitors will need to be aware of the following changes:
●Masks are required to be worn at all times in the Museum.
●Visitors must follow social distancing rules and keep six feet between their group and other visitors, staff and volunteers.
●It is also requested that children remain with their party at all times and be fully supervised.
A full list of safety measures and protocols is available at smokyhillmuseum.org.
Hawksworth emphasizes that the Museum’s consistent Tuesday through Saturday hours each week will make it easy for educators, parents and caregivers to access the Museum as a compliment to in-school or at-home learning this fall. More learning resources are available at https://www.smokyhillmuseum.org/programs-and-tours/.
Visitors will also get a first-hand look at the new exhibit, The 1950s Part 2: Beyond the American Dream. Special thanks go to the exhibit sponsors – The Cozy Inn, John and Debbie Divine, and Ken and Susie Guest – who helped make this exhibit possible, the museum noted in a news release.
The Smoky Hill Museum is a free nationally accredited history museum in downtown Salina. Stop by the museum store for a wide variety of regional and Kansas products, local artwork and gifts for all ages.