Major Western Pa. museums make plans for safe reopening
People eager to visit their favorite museums post-pandemic shutdown will have to wait a little longer for doors to open at some of the region’s major institutions, even in the green phase.
Under current state and CDC safety guidelines, there’s more to consider than just turning on the lights and unlocking the doors, says Anne Kraybill, Richard M. Scaife Director/CEO of The Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg.
In a recent letter, Kraybill shared that the Greensburg museum is one of more than 30 Southwestern Pennsylvania cultural institutions that have been working together since late March to prepare for safe reopenings.
“The shared priority of the collaborative group is the health and safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers. We are thus working together to develop and share best practices, in conjunction with federal, state and local recommendations,” she said. “These best practices will reflect the unique needs of our institutions and will help to ensure you feel comfortable and prepared on your return to The Westmoreland and other Southwestern Pennsylvania museums and cultural institutions.”
Staff training and scheduling is one major item, she says. A perhaps small — but still important — detail is the need to develop what Kraybill calls “welcoming signage.” Because staff members likely will be wearing masks upon reopening, visitors will not be able to see them smiling as they greet guests.
Here are plans and other updates announced by some of the area’s larger museums:
Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh — The four museums will reopen to the public on June 29. Members will have access to the museums beginning on June 26.
Operated by the Carnegie Institute, the four museums include the Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center and the Andy Warhol Museum.
The “Femme Touch” exhibition, originally scheduled to open April 24, 2020, will begin June 26 at the Warhol and continue until Jan. 3. This museum-wide exhibition is centered around the women and femmes who were intertwined with Andy Warhol’s life and career.
Other updates about events and public programs will be posted on the website of each hosting museum. Virtual Carnegie Museums From Home programming also is available.
Details: carnegiemuseums.org
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and MuseumLab — While the Children’s Museum is among the group collaborating on safe reopening practices, a recent release notes that “we will not be opening for general public visits, programs, events or birthdays parties at this time.”
“Each institution is evaluating reopening under on its own schedule, and within its own unique operational needs, to ensure that you feel confident and safe when you return to their venue,” the release says. “We are working hard to create new ways to safely interact with our members and visitors, both from home and when the Children’s Museum and MuseumLab reopen to the public.”
Virtual summer camps and other online programming is available.
Details: pittsburghkids.org
The Frick Pittsburgh — The Point Breeze art and historical complex will welcome visitors back to its outdoor spaces on July 7.
A phased reopening of indoor spaces is anticipated to begin Aug. 15. The Frick’s indoor venues include the Frick Art Museum; Clayton, the restored Frick family home; the Car and Carriage Museum; the Grable Visitor Center; and a greenhouse. Details regarding the opening dates of each of these venues are yet to be determined.
“Our specific plans for the phased reopening of indoor spaces are still in the works, however, we do know that Clayton will not be among the first set of indoor spaces to reopen. Clayton is much less spacious than the Frick Art Museum and the Car and Carriage Museum, and this makes it harder to ensure appropriate social distancing measures,” says Greg Langel, director of marketing and communications.
A new program, Summer Fridays at the Frick, will join other available online programming on June 26.
Details: thefrickpittsburgh.org
Mattress Factory — “While we are preparing for reopening, we are not ready announce a reopening date yet,” says Mandy Wilson, director of marketing and communications for the installation art museum on Pittsburgh’s North Side.
The Mattress Factory is “part of the museums and cultural institutions working group that formed to discuss plans and responses to covid-19,” Wilson says.
The museum website currently offers virtual programming, including exhibition tours, artist talks and films.
Details: mattress.org
Senator John Heinz History Center — The center and its family of museums, including the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, Fort Pitt Museum and Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village, will reopen to the public beginning July 1.
Upon reopening, the museum will debut a new exhibition, “Smithsonian’s Portraits of Pittsburgh: Works from the National Portrait Gallery,” original paintings, sketches, prints and photographs showcasing more than 100 Americans, including entertainers, athletes and other notables, with Western Pennsylvania connections.
It is one of the largest loans of artwork ever shared by the National Portrait Gallery, the only museum in the U.S. dedicated solely to portraiture.
The exhibition also will feature select paintings and artifacts from the History Center’s collection, including Gene Kelly’s plaid wool suit from the iconic film, “Singin’ in the Rain,” and the dagger used in the failed assassination attempt on Henry Clay Frick.
All History Center museums will begin operating at 50% capacity and will eventually accommodate larger percentages of visitors. All sites will implement new social distancing and sanitation policies.
Details: heinzhistorycenter.org
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art — The museum has announced a tentative reopening date of Aug. 5.
“African American Art in the 20th Century,” the exhibition that was on display when the museum closed in March, will continue through Jan. 17. Exhibitions that were scheduled for the remainder of 2020 will be pushed back to 2021, Kraybill says.
While in-person classes, workshops and social events such as the monthly Art on Tap happy hours, “will be off the table in the short term,” Kraybill says museum staff is hoping to organize some outdoor events for late summer.
The annual Big Art Party, originally scheduled for Oct. 17, also has been canceled. “The planning for it really would have needed to be done three months ago,” Kraybill says.
Virtual classes have proved so popular — drawing first-time participants and others who say they wouldn’t be able to attend in-person sessions — that Kraybill says they are likely to continue to be offered over the long term.
Details: thewestmoreland.org
Shirley McMarlin is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Shirley by email at smcmarlin@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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