TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Staff at the The Children's Museum in Tucson and Oro Valley can't hold back their excitement any longer.
"We're opening! We're opening after a year of being closed. We're so excited," said Tucson Children's Museum Executive Director, Hilary Van Alsburg.
Thursday, the museum's downtown Tucson location will welcome back visitors. Staff said it's been a year of uncertainty. In November 2020, the museum reopened briefly until rising case numbers forced another closure.
"Half of our income, as a children's museum, comes from admissions and memberships. We've certainly seen a big hit there and we're climbing out of that whole," said Van Alsburg.
The Children's Museum let go about two-thirds of its staff in March of 2020.
"We made sure that we cut our expenses down to as little as we could for a year, while still investing in updating the museum and different programs," said Van Alsburg.
Van Alsburg said you can find something new in almost every exhibit. During months with no visitors, the museum had time to bring new ideas to life.
"We recognize that people are going to unfold from being socially distant at home, and doing remote learning, at their own pace. We want people to recognize that the museum is safe," said Van Alsburg.
Distancing "dots," limited capacity rules and mask mandates are all a part of the museum's reopening plan. The goal is to keep kids safe while letting their creativity soar.
"There's a lot fun things happening at the museum just to welcome families back and let them know we're happy they're here," said Van Alsburg.
The museum's Oro Valley location will open Thursday, April 1, 2021.
For a closer look at museum hours and ticket sales, click here.
