INDIANAPOLIS — After finding a projected loss of $14 million in revenue this year due to coronavirus closures, the Children's Museum of Indianapolis said it looks forward to welcoming more families onto its property.
When Mayor Joe Hogsett and the Marion County Public Health Department announced the new public health order on Friday, effectively increasing capacity limits for cultural institutions by 50%, the museum's volume limit rose to 4,000 visitors per day.
“Our thoughts are always first with the people who have contracted COVID-19. The economic implications of the pandemic have also caused extraordinary hardships for families, businesses, and cultural institutions such as ours. The museum is projecting a loss in earned revenue of $14 million this year alone. The opportunity for more children and families to visit the museum will help greatly with much-needed revenue,” Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, president & CEO of the Children’s Museum, said.
“We continue to go to great lengths to sanitize and disinfect throughout the museum’s campus to help make it safer to visit and make families feel more comfortable in doing so.”
Along with urging visitors to make reservations online, the Children's Museum is also asking that everyone 2-years-old and older wear a mask and remain at least six feet apart from others.
Here are several other things the Children's Museum has instituted since reopening in June:
- There are more than 100 hand sanitizing and wet wipe stations throughout the museum.
- Instead of experiences that require touching, the museum has replaced them with actor-interpreters for engagement.
- The museum has its own COVID-19 task force team.
- Museum volunteers and employees get temperature checks every day.
- Increased frequency of cleaning and sanitization of all surfaces in the museum, which align with the CDC's recommendations for public spaces.
The museum has exhibits like Barbie, Wild Weather, The Dinosaurs, and more ready for families to enjoy — learn more about them on the childrensmuseum.org.
Those who would like to make a donation to the Children's Museum can do so through the Rex Response Fund.
