The Fort Frances Museum and Recreational Cultural Centre will open its doors to the public for the first time in almost seventeen months.
The museum was one of several municipal facilities that closed because of the pandemic.
Curator Beverly Cochrane is excited about the chance to welcome visitors back.
“I’m very excited about being able to open to the public again. It’s been a long 17 months that we’ve been closed,” says Cochrane.
Cochrane took over the position of curator during the closure from Sherry George, who retired last April.
She says she spent a lot of time reading and learning about the facility.
Cochrane says she missed not having their volunteers or summer students around to help.
“They played a pivotal role in the functions of the museum. When they weren’t able to come back, everything that students, volunteers (did), that all came to me. All of those duties came to me.”
The museum has been closed since last March because of the pandemic.
The museum will open Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m to 5 p.m.
Cochrane says they have made some operational adjustments. Visitors will be screened before entry.
Masks also have to be worn inside.
“We’ve had to install more hand sanitizing. The museum, within Step Three of Ontario’s opening plan, can operate at 50% capacity for indoor spaces.”
Cochrane says exactly how many people to be permitted inside at one time is still a bit of a guess because physical distancing requirements also have to play into that capacity limit.
