Phased Reopening of St Albans Museum + Gallery and Verulamium Museum
As part of the loosening of lockdown regulations, the government has announced that museums and galleries are now allowed to reopen.
It has stipulated that safety precautions such as one-way systems, sanitation stations, online booking provisions and social distancing measures must be implemented before reopening.
Therefore, in order to ensure a safe and enjoyable visit for everyone, the reopening of the museums in St Albans will be phased.
The first element to reopen will be the café at St Albans Museum + Gallery, which will reopen on Wednesday 15 July at 11am once essential maintenance works have been completed by newly available contractors.
New opening times and visiting practises will be in place when the museums reopen.
Exact dates will be announced in the coming weeks when new systems and safety measures have been tested and implemented.
Councillor Anthony Rowlands, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Heritage and Public Realm said:
Many have turned to the arts to buoy their spirits during lockdown and so it is wonderful to get the go-ahead to reopen our museums for people to experience in person once again.
However, whilst the virus is still in our midst, we must show caution and reopen when all the measures outlined by the government have been introduced. This may take some time, but it is better to get this right.
As well as introducing safety measures, exhibitions and events that had been planned for this year are being rescheduled, reimagined and adapted for the ‘new normal’.
The Hertfordshire Open 2020 exhibition, in partnership with UH Arts, was due to be displayed in April 2020 but has been reimagined into a digital exhibition and can be explored on the St Albans Museums website.
Chroniclers of History, the medieval manuscripts exhibition in partnership with St Albans Cathedral, was due to be displayed in the Weston Gallery in June 2020 and is now planned for next summer.
A number of exhibitions and displays, including Mechanical Marvels and 175 years of SAHAAS, will be physically displayed at St Albans Museum + Gallery in autumn 2020.
In the meantime, visitors are encouraged to take part in activities and explore new collections items uploaded to the St Albans Museums website.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- Visit www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/explore to explore online exhibitions, view artefacts from the collections and download free activities and resources
Councillor Contact:
Councillor Anthony Rowlands, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Heritage and Public Realm
Email: cllr.a.rowlands@stalbans.gov.uk; Tel: 07761 232064
Media contact:
Farhana Begum, Museums Business Manager, St Albans Museums
Email: farhana.begum@stalbans.gov.uk, Tel: 01727 814638
About Verulamium Museum
Built on the site of one of the largest Roman cities in Britain, Verulamium Museum tells the story of life in Britain over 2,000 years ago. From immersive recreated Roman rooms and intricate large-scale mosaics to jewellery, coins and homeware, the museum displays archaeological finds discovered during the excavations carried out by Mortimer and Tessa Wheeler in the 1930s. As well as impressive mosaics, Verulamium Museum displays recent discoveries such as the Sandridge Hoard, a collection of 159 Roman gold coins.
About St Albans Museum + Gallery
St Albans Museum + Gallery is the newest addition to the collection of cultural heritage sites managed by St Albans Museums. It joins Verulamium Museum, the Hypocaust, the medieval Clock Tower, Sopwell Ruins and the thousands of objects in the City’s collection in being cared for and shared with the world. Set to be a world-class centre for arts and culture at the heart of one of Britain’s most historic cities, St Albans Museum + Gallery is free to all visitors. It showcases over 2,000 years of priceless heritage and hosts cutting-edge art exhibitions, sharing local, national andworld treasures with all.