SAN MARINO (CNS) - Officials with the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens said today that the popular retreat will reopen on July 1, after being closed for more than three months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Visitors must purchase advance tickets, and Huntington members with advance tickets can visit the facility as early as June 17.
The facility, which includes 130 acres of gardens, will have new safety measures in place to protest staff and visitors from further spread of the virus, including reduced capacity, physical distancing and the requirement that visitors wear face coverings.
Also, “high-touch'' areas including the Children's Garden and The Rose Hills Foundation Conservatory for Botanical Science, as well as the galleries and other indoor spaces, will remain closed during the summer months but are expected to reopen in the fall.
The Huntington's research library remains closed.
“Getting to this moment where we can open our gardens to visitors again has been a remarkable journey and a very careful process,'' Huntington president Karen R. Lawrence said. “The Huntington is a resilient institution, staffed with energetic and extraordinarily dedicated people who have worked nonstop to stay in touch with our diverse audiences and get us to the point of reopening in a safe way. We have spent considerable time developing our safety protocols to protect our staff, our members, and the public. We know our visitors can't wait to walk our paths again, and we can't wait to welcome them back.''
To offset the reduced capacity, officials are adding an extra day to the Huntington's schedule. During July and August, the Huntington will be open on Tuesdays, historically a day it has been closed, and will offer special evening hours on certain dates during the summer months.
Visitors can check huntington.org for ticket availability and details.
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