The Smithsonian announced the reopening of two prominent Washington, D.C., area attractions that have been shuttered during the spread of the coronavirus.
The National Zoo located in Washington and the National Air and Space Museum in nearby Chantilly, Virginia, are scheduled to reopen Friday with a number of safety precautions in place. All other Smithsonian attractions will remain closed. Most other prominent D.C. destinations, including the White House and Capitol, also remain closed to visitors.
Both at the zoo and the National Air and Space Museum, all visitors age 6 and over will be required to wear face coverings. The zoo and museum are also requiring timed tickets, and has scaled back its hours to close at 4 p.m.
“As a public entity, we thrive on serving our visitors and making our collections readily available to them, virtually and in person,” said Lonnie Bunch, Secretary of the Smithsonian. “However, the safety and well-being of our staff, visitors and volunteers come first and are paramount, so we are taking a deliberate, phased and cautious approach to reopening. Our goal is to be safe and measured in order to adjust and pivot as necessary.”