EVERETT — Volunteers last month were putting the finishing touches on shining up the Imagine Children’s Museum at Wall Street and Hoyt Avenue. A 15-month wait is over, and the doors are reopening June 2 after closing out of an abundance of caution for the coronavirus pandemic.
“Everyone’s so excited, they can’t wait to be back,” museum spokeswoman Kimberlee Valvick said.
While for its first two weeks, the museum will be only available to its annual members, starting Sunday, June 20 the general public can come visit and explore.
Things are going to be a little different. Masks will be required, and visiting times are limited to two hours.
The museum has installed three big air scrubbers as part of preventing coronavirus. They are CDC-approved, Valvick said.
It’s going to be open four days a week for now, and be limited to 25% capacity, Valvick said. A ticket is required for every person who wants to enter.
All of the favorites are back; museum staff say to check out the new theater inside.
People who can’t wait can join as a member to immediately reserve an open slot before June 20, the museum confirmed.
Part of the long wait is because the museum has a lot of exhibits that involve touching and feeling items, which impacts the ability to keep things sanitized. To help address this, there will be a half-hour break between the timed sessions to allow for cleaning and sanitizing exhibits.
Meanwhile, the museum’s multimillion-dollar expansion project to double its footprint is taking its next steps. Concrete was poured last month, and soon the new building sides will start rising, Valvick said.
The expansion to four stories tall is
expected to be complete by next spring.
