COUNTY museum chiefs have delivered an invitation for visitors to take a step back to the past after Worcestershire’s museums reopened their doors to visitors.
After Hartlebury Castle welcomed its first post Coronavirus lockdown visitors on Saturday (July 4), The Commandery in Worcester and the city’s art gallery and museum reopened their doors after a 15 week lockdown on Tuesday.
Measures have been put in place to keep visitors and staff safe. These include queueing and one-way routes to help manage social distancing, enhanced cleaning schedules and hand santiser stations.
The sites will be asking for card payments rather than cash for admissions and shop purchases
Head of Museums Worcestershire, Philippa Tinsley said: “Providing a safe and healthy visit is our top priority.
Visitors may notice things will be a little different; our routes may have changed, visitors will be reminded to observe social distancing, contactless payment will be in place, but the museums, their collections and stories that our visitors know and love, will still be here to welcome and entertain them.”
A brand new exhibition will welcome people to Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum – A Welcome View is a series of wonderful scenes of Worcestershire, celebrating both the wealth of Worcester’s Fine Art collection and the beauty and tranquillity of the county.
The exhibition gives visitors the opportunity to lose themselves for a moment and reflect on wonderful views they may have been missing during lockdown.
At The Commandery visitors will be able to enjoy the gardens and outdoor spaces as well as explore The Civil War Story exhibition and discover more about one of Worcester’s oldest buildings. The independent onsite café, Commandery Coffee, will also be open with a range of hot and cold drinks and food.
At the County Museum at Hartlebury Castle visitors can enjoy favourite museum collections including toys and games and gypsy caravans and explore the Fashioning Peace exhibition featuring a display of fabulous fashions showcasing the glitz and glamour of the 1920s.
On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays the historic grounds, Bishops Palace and state rooms will also be open.
Visitors are encouraged to check the museums’ website before planning a visit for information on safety measures and are also warned safety measures may necessitate occasional changes to opening hours or to the visitor experience.
Visit www.museumsworcestershire.org.uk for more.
