Inside the Chippewa Valley Museum.

The Chippewa Valley Museum is the latest local institution to plan to reopen as the community and nation continue to turn the dial away from coronavirus-related restrictions.

The museum, which closed its doors to the public in March, has announced that it will reopen on Wednesday, June 17. In a news release, the museum state that its “phased reopening plan” includes new procedures and has been reviewed and approved by the Eau Claire City-County Health Department.

“This is a gradual reopening. Not all museum spaces will be available immediately,” said Olaf Lind, communications specialist at the museum. “This allows time for staff to learn new procedures and see what works and doesn’t work in our main museum building.”

The museum, which is located in Eau Claire’s Carson Park, is entering its reopening plan’s first phase, which is expected to last until mid-July. Here are some details:

• Limited capacity: Nine visitors per group, no more than 50 in the building at one time.
• Face coverings required for guests and staff. Disposable masks available.
• One-way traffic through exhibits.
• Hand sanitizer throughout the building.
• Hands-on interactives removed from exhibits.
• Public health signage posted throughout the building.
• Limited Summer Hours: Tuesday 5-8pm, Wednesday through Sunday, noon-5pm.

Some areas of the museum will remain closed, including the “History Quest” exhibit, Ice Cream Parlor, museum store, meeting rooms, Log House, and Sunnyview School House. The museum will announce via its social media accounts when these spaces will be reopened.

New to the museum will be “This and That” mini-exhibits, featuring small displays about voting and suffrage, epidemics, and objects from the museum collection.

Learn more about the museum’s reopening here: cvmuseum.com/visit/covid-19-response/.

Plexiglass screening has been installed around the museum's front desk.