Marbles Kids Museum to reopen Sept. 11 to members and Sept. 16 to general public
After being closed since March 15, Marble Kids Museum announced Friday that it will reopen to museum members on Sept. 11 and to the general public on Sept. 16.
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After being closed since March 15, Marbles Kids Museum announced Friday that it will reopen to the general public on Sept. 16. Museum members will get early access from Sept. 11 to Sept. 13.
As it welcomes back visitors, Marbles is adding new hours and safety measures. Marbles' new hours of operation are:
- Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with member-only access on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Marbles also will offer Terminix “Play Late for Less” afternoons on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, with reduced admission from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is now $9 per person, up from $7 before the pandemic. Visitors will get 50% off admission during the Play Late for Less hours.
To limit capacity and ensure safe and socially distant play, according to a press release, all members and guests will be required to reserve a timed entry ticket online prior to museum admission. Everyone age 5 and older will be required to wear a CDC-approved face covering.
“Team Marbles can’t wait to hear the sounds of children playing joyfully in the museum once again,” said CEO Sally Edwards in a press release. “We are very pleased that Phase 2.5 of the state’s reopening plan recognized the cultural and educational value of museums and put in place guidelines for us to safely welcome back the children and families we serve.”
Before opening its doors, Marbles has made some major changes to its operations and procedures to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, including capacity limits, more cleanings, new sanitation protocols and reserved timed entry.
"Our goal is to bring back children and families as safely as possible,” said Dale Wilson, Marbles' vice president of hospitality, in the press release. “Throughout the closure, we’ve been working behind the scenes to refresh our exhibits, implement new and improved cleaning practices and launch an advanced ticketing system that will allow for online ticketing reservations and help facilitate a safe return to play and learning at Marbles.”
Marbles expects that less than 30% of its allowed attendance capacity will be inside the museum at any given time. North Carolina's Phase 2.5 allows museums and aquariums to operate at 50% capacity, or up to 12 people per 1,000 square feet.
And parents and caregivers will be required to stay a "hug distance" of their children to help maintain distancing between groups.
For now, Marbles' IMAX theater will remain closed for public screenings, but it is open for private screenings for streaming or gaming as long as those activities comply with state and local safety rules.
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