Museums reopen under the ‘new normal’
One-way systems, protective screens and PPE for staff are among the measures taken by venues that have welcomed visitors back
Museums and galleries have gradually started to reopen, giving a glimpse of what the new normal might look like for those returning to cultural venues.
Hand sanitiser, front-of-house staff kitted out in personal protective equipment (PPE), social distancing measures, pre-booked timed entry, prescribed routes and reduced or non-existent catering are among the changes that visitors can expect. They will also, perhaps more positively for the quality of their experience, see fewer fellow visitors.
Scarborough Museums Trust (SMT) opened two of its three venues, Scarborough Art Gallery and Woodend, on 4 July – the first day it was permitted for museums to reopen in England.
“We received a respectable number of visitors and it was particularly pleasing to welcome back some of our regular friends, who said they’d really missed our staff and venues,” says Andrew Clay, the chief executive of SMT.
“This proves to me how important art and culture is to the UK’s recovery from the vagaries of Covid-19,” Clay continues. “Yes, the experience is slightly different – we have bubbles, special signage, a track and trace app and gallons of hand sanitiser – but our exhibitions and permanent collections have lost none of their appeal and importance.”
Safety measures at SMT venues include protective screens around the reception desks; hand sanitiser on entry to the buildings and on the top floor of the art gallery; and PPE for staff when cleaning the venues, plus extra cleaning protocols.
The usual £3 entry charge to Scarborough Art Gallery, which buys an annual pass, has been waived throughout July while admission to Woodend remains free.
Hand sanitiser, front-of-house staff kitted out in personal protective equipment (PPE), social distancing measures, pre-booked timed entry, prescribed routes and reduced or non-existent catering are among the changes that visitors can expect. They will also, perhaps more positively for the quality of their experience, see fewer fellow visitors.
Scarborough Museums Trust (SMT) opened two of its three venues, Scarborough Art Gallery and Woodend, on 4 July – the first day it was permitted for museums to reopen in England.
“We received a respectable number of visitors and it was particularly pleasing to welcome back some of our regular friends, who said they’d really missed our staff and venues,” says Andrew Clay, the chief executive of SMT.
“This proves to me how important art and culture is to the UK’s recovery from the vagaries of Covid-19,” Clay continues. “Yes, the experience is slightly different – we have bubbles, special signage, a track and trace app and gallons of hand sanitiser – but our exhibitions and permanent collections have lost none of their appeal and importance.”
Safety measures at SMT venues include protective screens around the reception desks; hand sanitiser on entry to the buildings and on the top floor of the art gallery; and PPE for staff when cleaning the venues, plus extra cleaning protocols.
The usual £3 entry charge to Scarborough Art Gallery, which buys an annual pass, has been waived throughout July while admission to Woodend remains free.
National Gallery
The National Gallery was widely touted as the first of the large London national museums to reopen on 8 July, although the National Army Museum did in fact open the day before.
The experience at the National Gallery was certainly a new one for visitors. The museum says it used best practice from European and American museums that have already opened to plan its reopening. All visits have to be booked online and in advance, with walk-up customers turned away. The museum usually gets about 6 million annual visits and last year 64% were from overseas.
“Our priority is always a safe and enjoyable visitor experience, so we are initially operating with a reduced number of tickets in line with current government advice,” says a National Gallery spokesman. “Our ambition is to look to increase availability in the coming weeks.”
The National Gallery was widely touted as the first of the large London national museums to reopen on 8 July, although the National Army Museum did in fact open the day before.
The experience at the National Gallery was certainly a new one for visitors. The museum says it used best practice from European and American museums that have already opened to plan its reopening. All visits have to be booked online and in advance, with walk-up customers turned away. The museum usually gets about 6 million annual visits and last year 64% were from overseas.
“Our priority is always a safe and enjoyable visitor experience, so we are initially operating with a reduced number of tickets in line with current government advice,” says a National Gallery spokesman. “Our ambition is to look to increase availability in the coming weeks.”
Going forward, the gallery is going to have to review its financial models, and its dependence on private income and international tourism.
“We will need to look very hard at the relationship between the permanent collection and temporary exhibitions,” says the spokesman. “We will focus on core activities, work closely with audiences which are closer to hand and think very carefully about the role we can play in creating greater social cohesiveness.”
Entrance is via the Sainsbury Wing Entrance, exit is through the Getty Entrance and 2-metre social distancing measures are in place throughout the gallery. There are three one-way routes to guide visitors through different areas of the collection.
“We will need to look very hard at the relationship between the permanent collection and temporary exhibitions,” says the spokesman. “We will focus on core activities, work closely with audiences which are closer to hand and think very carefully about the role we can play in creating greater social cohesiveness.”
Entrance is via the Sainsbury Wing Entrance, exit is through the Getty Entrance and 2-metre social distancing measures are in place throughout the gallery. There are three one-way routes to guide visitors through different areas of the collection.
The National Gallery says it has installed higher efficiency filters in the air-conditioning system and has increased the flow of fresh air. Perspex protection panels are in place at ticket and information desks, and there is hand sanitiser at regular intervals throughout the building. All staff have PPE and visitors are advised to wear a face covering, although not everyone was following this guidance on the first day of opening.
Foundling Museum
Things are a bit more relaxed at another, much smaller, London museum that opened on 8 July – the Foundling Museum in Bloomsbury – although many of the social distancing measures are the same as at the National Gallery: timed entry booked in advance, a separate entry and exit point and a prescribed route around the galleries.
Foundling Museum director Caro Howell is extremely pleased to welcome back visitors, particularly as they will be able to see its Portraying Pregnancy: from Holbein to Social Media exhibition, which had proved a huge hit before lockdown and was on course to be the venue’s most successful show ever. The museum was getting an average of 350 visitors a day before lockdown but was expecting 30-40 on its first day of reopening.
“I know we will be haemorrhaging money by reopening now but if we don’t open when we have great temporary show and there is a low R-rate, when will we?” Howell says.
Things are a bit more relaxed at another, much smaller, London museum that opened on 8 July – the Foundling Museum in Bloomsbury – although many of the social distancing measures are the same as at the National Gallery: timed entry booked in advance, a separate entry and exit point and a prescribed route around the galleries.
Foundling Museum director Caro Howell is extremely pleased to welcome back visitors, particularly as they will be able to see its Portraying Pregnancy: from Holbein to Social Media exhibition, which had proved a huge hit before lockdown and was on course to be the venue’s most successful show ever. The museum was getting an average of 350 visitors a day before lockdown but was expecting 30-40 on its first day of reopening.
“I know we will be haemorrhaging money by reopening now but if we don’t open when we have great temporary show and there is a low R-rate, when will we?” Howell says.
“A lot of our budgeting was predicated on the success of the Portraying Pregnancy exhibition.”
Howell says the lockdown cost the museum more than £440,000.
“We are an independent museum and the things that we are good at, such as generating our own income, ground to a halt after lockdown.”
“We are an independent museum and the things that we are good at, such as generating our own income, ground to a halt after lockdown.”
More reopening plans
More museums are starting to announce reopening plans as they finalise their social distancing measures and staffing arrangements.
The Horniman Museum in south London said this week that it will reopen its doors to the public on 30 July. Visitors, including members, will need to pre-book for a free, timed entry slot.
National Museums Liverpool (NML) announced this week that it will reopen the World Museum and the Walker Art Gallery on 15 July. Again, there will be pre-booked timed entry, enhanced cleaning protocols and social distancing measures.
“While the measures that we have in place will mean visits are not entirely back to normal, a lot of thought and planning has been put in place to enable visitors to enjoy the experience as much as possible, while staying safe,” says Laura Pye, the director of NML.
Other venues, particularly those with tricky visitor routes, are further away from reopening.
More museums are starting to announce reopening plans as they finalise their social distancing measures and staffing arrangements.
The Horniman Museum in south London said this week that it will reopen its doors to the public on 30 July. Visitors, including members, will need to pre-book for a free, timed entry slot.
National Museums Liverpool (NML) announced this week that it will reopen the World Museum and the Walker Art Gallery on 15 July. Again, there will be pre-booked timed entry, enhanced cleaning protocols and social distancing measures.
“While the measures that we have in place will mean visits are not entirely back to normal, a lot of thought and planning has been put in place to enable visitors to enjoy the experience as much as possible, while staying safe,” says Laura Pye, the director of NML.
Other venues, particularly those with tricky visitor routes, are further away from reopening.
Sir John Soane’s Museum, the London house and museum of Regency architect Sir John Soane, is planning to reopen on 1 October. The museum in Lincoln’s Inn Fields says that due to the nature and layout of the venue, there will be a one-way route around the collection, an initial reduction in opening hours to three days a week, and free timed ticketed entry bookable in advance only.
“The safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers remains our top priority and, whilst our historic spaces present particular issues, we are confident that we will be ready to open safely in the autumn,” says Bruce Boucher, the museum’s director.
“The safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers remains our top priority and, whilst our historic spaces present particular issues, we are confident that we will be ready to open safely in the autumn,” says Bruce Boucher, the museum’s director.