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Boonshoft Museum of Discovery Reopens

The Boonshoft Museum reopens on Tuesday, June 16, with new rules to promote social distancing.
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The Boonshoft Museum reopens on Tuesday, June 16, with new rules to promote social distancing.

The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery reopens today for the first time since all museums and zoos in Ohio were closed because of the pandemic.

There will be new displays for guests and new rules for safety.

Boonshoft President and CEO Tracey Tomme says she was relieved when they got the okay to reopen.

“I thought we would be one of the last places to get to open because of our high touch areas,” she says.

She’s quick to note that the Boonshoft is a museum, science center, and zoo all rolled into one, and they usually have a lot of indoor play areas for kids.

Since those areas can’t be used right now, the Boonshoft is filling them with new exhibits.

There’s a duck billed dinosaur skull, a collection of African drums, an exhibit of telescopes...

“With 1.8 million objects in the collection, there’s a lot of stuff,” Tomme says. “Everything has been scrubbed down to the rafters. It’s like a brand new place. And I guarantee they’ve never seen it like this.”

Museum members can schedule times to visit in advance. Groups of guests will be staggered for social distancing, and the path through the museum will be restricted to just one way.

Guests will not be required to wear masks, but staff members will.

In early July, day camps will start up again, but in the meantime, the Boonshoft is offering virtual camps for parents and kids.

You can find hours, safety guidelines and other information on the Boonshoft's website.

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