Minnesota Museums Reopen with Restrictions

Looking for something to do this weekend?  Why not take in some culture right here in Minnesota.  Yesterday (July 16) The Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the Walker Art Center both reopened after being shut down since the middle of March.

There are a few things to be aware of before planning your day-trip to these museums.  You will need to wear a mask at both places, and some other safety procedures have also been implemented.

The MIA has put these procedures in place:

• A single entrance and exit on Third Avenue serves visitors and staff. The seasonal entrance at 24th Street and the Target Wing entrance are closed.
• Masks are required for all individuals older than age 2 who are able to medically tolerate a face covering, per protocols endorsed by the city of Minneapolis.
• Visitors are required to maintain a six-foot social distance in galleries and public spaces.
• Visitors may move as they please throughout larger galleries; in smaller spaces and narrow corridors, one-way flow and floor graphics will direct visitor circulation.
• Hand sanitizer stations are available throughout the building. Mia has also doubled its daily janitorial staff, and high-touch areas will be cleaned multiple times a day.
• The Agra Culture coffee shop is open. Socially distanced tables are available in the lobby.
• The coat check is closed, so visitors should plan to carry belongings or leave them in cars.
• The Store at Mia now allows 20 visitors at a time. Merchandise is spaced to encourage social distancing, and touchless payment options are available. In addition, Mia continues to offer private shopping appointments, as well as curbside pickup for online purchases.
• During the first two weeks of reopening, Mia staff will ask guests to complete an optional survey on their museum experience to finetune procedures for future visits.

The Walker Art Center has also opened, you will need to get your tickets online prior to your visit, as they will be timed.  This is to ensure that visitors will be staggered enough to keep social distancing protocols in place.  The Walker sculpture garden is open as usual, as that is outside.

If you would like some more information as to what is open and what is not open regarding attractions like these, you can check that out here.