TWO of Scarborough Museums Trust’s three venues will re-open on Saturday.
Scarborough Art Gallery and Woodend have been closed to the public since the Covid-19 lockdown started in late-March, as has the Rotunda Museum, whose re-opening will be delayed to “allow more time to work out how to do that safely”.
SMT chief executive Andrew Clay says: “Our dedicated staff have all been working very hard to ensure that venues are safe and in line with government guidelines on social distancing and cleanliness. The safety of all our staff and visitors is our top priority.”
Safety measures introduced for this weekend’s re-opening will be five-fold:
* Protective screens around the reception desks;
* Hand sanitiser on entry to the buildings and on the top floor of Scarborough Art Gallery;
* Disposable hand towels in the loos;
* PPE (gloves, masks and aprons) for staff when cleaning the venues, plus extra cleaning protocols;
* Staff monitoring at a safe distance to ensure that visitors are following the distancing guidelines.
Clay says: “The number of visitors within the two spaces will be monitored to ensure that there is enough room for them to move around in a safe and enjoyable manner. Clear wayfinding and arrows will direct them, and staff will be on hand to provide further support and information.
“The internal layout of our third venue, the historic Rotunda Museum, presents certain challenges with regard to social distancing, so we’re delaying opening that for the time being to allow us more time to work out how to do that safely.”
The exhibitions sent into abeyance under lockdown strictures have been extended. At Scarborough Art Gallery, visitors can see The Printmakers Council 1992-2019 and the William Smith map until September 6, alongside the permanent display of fine art from the Scarborough Borough Collection.
At Woodend, vintage travel and tourism posters will be on show in A Day At The Seaside until September 27.
Entry to Scarborough Art Gallery – usually £3, which buys an annual pass – will be free throughout July; admission to Woodend will remain free.
Opening hours will be unchanged: Scarborough Art Gallery, 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Sundays; Woodend, 9am to 5pm, Mondays to Fridays; 10am to 4pm, Saturdays and Sundays.