Mandatory face masks, hand sanitiser stations in front of the entrance, security lines to keep the required distance from ticket office, continued closures of cloakrooms and souvenir shop - such are the new rules of the Museum of Poznań, the first institution of its kind to reopen to visitors. "We have been preparing for the new regime for over two weeks now. We are very happy to be able to receive visitors again after this long interruption", said Tomasz Łęcki, the Museum's Director, at a brief press conference held immediately prior to the reopening. "Even with the best of collections, a museum without visitors is of little use", he added.
Visitors are requested to comply with a dozen or so health and safety guidelines. Detailed instructions are displayed on LED screens and notice posters at entrances. "Starting in May, all of our fabulous permanent exhibitions will again be accessible to visitors", said Maria Gołąb, the Museum's recently recruited Deputy Head for Science. "On 7 June, we plan to open a temporary exhibition of posters by Michel Quarez, rescheduled from April", she said in a disclosure of the Museum's other immediate plans.
Up to 500 people will be allowed inside the Museum's main building at any particular time. Visitors are requested to wear face coverings, sanitise their hands and maintain proper distance from fellow patrons. For security reasons and until further notice, the cloakroom, the souvenir shop, audio guides, tablets, multimedia touch screens and tactile graphic boards will remain off limits. All educational activities in the Museum will remain suspended although the Museum will continue to offer online activities. "We will be unable to resume our art storytelling sessions", said Aleksandra Sobocińska, the Museum's spokeswoman, at the reopening. "That is why we are going to continue to offer our online educational series "The Art'scape Room" with tidbits of information for teenagers and adults, and "Fun with Art" - our treasure trove of ideas for leisure time activities with children.
For further information and visiting rules, see www.mnp.art.pl (available in Polish only).
Sylwia Klimek
translation: Krzysztof Kotkowski
© Wydawnictwo Miejskie Posnania 2020