Science Museum of Minnesota to reopen this weekend
The Science Museum of Minnesota is reopening once again following an extended closure due to COVID-19.
The museum will open to members on Friday and the public on Saturday. Safety measures in place include advanced ticketing, online payments and a mask requirement. Capacity will also be limited.
The reopening will include new components of the RACE: Are We So Different? exhibit and two new movies in the museum’s Omnitheater. The museum is also introducing two new models of the Quetzalcoatlus dinosaur.
The museum’s new operating hours will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.
The Science Museum first closed in March of last year. It reopened in the fall with similar safety precautions before rising COVID-19 case numbers forced it to close once again. While not always open for in-person programming, the museum does offer virtual learning opportunities and resources for kids and families.
The museum also announced over the summer that it was forced to cut nearly 40% of its staff, 158 employees, due to attendance declines caused by the pandemic.
Other museums are also starting to open their doors after a second statewide lockdown. The Weisman Art Museum on the University of Minnesota campus reopened earlier this month, while the Minneapolis Institute of Art opened in late January.