JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Families looking for another fun way to hang out this summer break have another option starting Monday morning. The Museum of Science and History is reopening to the general public after being shut down due to closures associated with COVID-19. MOSH reopened to its members 2 weeks ago.
Alec Warren is MOSH's education manager. He says the reopening comes with a bang! A prehistoric bang.
"We're debuting a brand new dinosaur, which has never been seen anywhere else. It's called the Spinosaurus," Warren said. "Which, if you're a fan of Jurassic Park, you'll remember that's the villain dinosaur from Jurassic Park 3."
Warren says families can get an up-close and personal look through the "Dinosaurs around the world" exhibit. Aside from new dinosaurs, Warren says families will also notice new safety protocols. MOSH'S website says these changes and protocols are in line with guidelines and requirements set by the government and public health agencies.
Warren says anyone over the age of 12 will have to wear a mask the entire time they're inside the museum. Hand sanitizer stations are set up, touch-free motion sensors are in place, and markers on the ground will help control foot traffic. All of this is to keep families safe.
MOSH is also doing a lot more cleaning. Bathrooms, for example, are cleaned at least once per hour. Tickets will also have to be purchased online. For the time being, guests can only go at the time they've reserved. Warren says the goal is to help maintain social distancing.
"Show up at the time your ticket is scheduled for," Warren said. "If you do those things, you will have an experience where you're not going to have too many people in the museum at one time."
The Kids Space and the planetarium are both closed for the time being.
Whether it's exploring what's around us or taking in a new adventure, Warren says everyone is just excited to be back.
"Nothing beats being able to get out of the house, get your kids in a fun space, that is safe," Warren said. "And is educational at the same time.
If guests don’t have masks with them, Warren says they can be purchased at MOSH for $1 each. These safety measures will be in place until further notice.