St. Louis' cultural institutions make plans to reopen amid COVID-19

The Saint Louis Zoo and Missouri Botanical Garden plan to reopen mid-June with restrictions.

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St. Louis City and County began the gradual process of reopening on Monday, May 18, after eight weeks under stay-at-home orders. While places including restaurants, hair salons, and churches were allowed to reopen with restrictions, large cultural institutions in the city—such as the Saint Louis Zoo, museums in Forest Park, and the Gateway Arch—remained closed. However, these large institutions were allowed to submit plans for reopening, which the city's health department will review. Since then, several have announced reopening dates and guidelines. 

Here is a list of when and how St. Louis cultural institutions will reopen: 

  • The Saint Louis Zoo plans to open its gates again June 13. Guests will need to make reservations for a specific time in order to limit the number of people in attendance at once. Reservations will open at 9 a.m. June 8. All guests over the age of 9 will be required to wear a face covering. More details about specific guidelines will be released closer to the time of reopening. 
  • Missouri Botanical Garden will reopen June 16 with limited capacity. Visitors will be required to reserve tickets online, beginning one week before the opening date. The garden grounds will have one-way paths to promote social distancing and anyone 9 years old or older will be required to wear a face covering. Indoor spaces, The Children's Garden, and water play areas will remain closed. The Shaw Nature Reserve will also open June 16, with similar procedures. More specific details will be released closer to reopening day. 
  • St. Louis County Library will reopen book drops May 26 and begin curbside service June 3. It has not announced a date for full reopening. 
  • The Black Rep postponed its show Bubbling Brown Sugar, which would have opened in September, to its next season. Its annual gala on November 14 will be held online. 
  • St. Louis Public Library will open book drops June 1. Its Buder, Carpenter, Center, Julia Davis and Schlafly locations will reopen June 10 with limited hours and small collections for browsing. The Kingshighway location will open that day for curbside pickup only. 
  • Saint Louis Science Center will reopen June 20 with limited occupancy, timed reservations and reduced hours. All guests age 9 and above will be required to wear a mask, and walking paths will be one-way. More details about policies and protocols will be released closer to opening day. 
  • St. Louis Symphony Orchestra rescheduled all its June shows to August, beginning with "Revolution Music of the Beatles: A Symphonic Experience" on August 7. Until then, St. Louis Public Radio will rebroadcast previous concerts Saturdays at 8 p.m. 
  • St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station will reopen June 8, along with the St. Louis Wheel, mirror maze, ropes course and other attractions. They will all be operating with reduced capacity. Visitors who are 9 years old or older will be required to wear masks, and those visiting indoor attractions will have their temperature scanned. Inside the aquarium, touch pools will be open, but touchscreens, the Train Experience and the Virtual Reality Sandbox will remain closed. 
  • The Magic House will reopen June 15 with limited capacity. Guests will have to make reservations for two-hour visits, and those over the age of 9 will be required to wear a mask. Kids will receive individual mini activity kits to reduce transmissions from shared supplies. Some attractions have also been moved or modified. 
  • Missouri Historical Society will reopen the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park, the MHS Library and Research Center, and Soldiers Memorial Military Museum June 20. All three will operate at 10% capacity based on reservations. All guests age 9 and older will be required to wear a mask, and galleries will have one-way paths. 
  • Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House will reopen in phases beginning June 16. The first phase will be guided tours only, which will last an hour and be available by reservation. Masks will be required for anyone aged 9 or older, and recommended for children age 3-9. Its second phase will be timed e-ticket entry with limited capacity and will begin July 7. 
  • Saint Louis Art Museum will reopen June 16 at 10% occupancy, or 350 people, and an increased cleaning regimen. Guests age 9 and older will be required to wear masks, and masks will be encouraged for visitors age 2 through 8. The Panorama restaurant and Museum Cafe will remain closed, and tours will not resume until September. 
  • City Museum will open its doors again June 17 with limited attendance. Guests will  purchase tickets for a "session" in advance, and there will be two sessions per day. Climbing will be one-way, attractions and exhibits will have queues, and parts of the museum where social distancing is impossible will remain closed. Five "Clean Team" members will disinfect the museum throughout each day. 
  • Six Flags St. Louis will allow members and season pass holders back into the park beginning June 22, with the general public following on June 26. Guests will be required to make reservations in order to stagger entry times. The park will implement more sanitation and strictly enforce social distancing. All guests over the age of 2 will be required to wear a mask. 
  • The Riverboats at the Gateway Arch resumed operation of the one-hour St. Louis Riverfront Cruise June 10. Other cruises will be reintroduced later on, as the group deems them appropriate. The boats will have reduced capacity, an increased cleaning regimen and enforced social distancing, and any guests over the age of 9 will be required to wear a mask. The Paddlewheel Café also reopened for table-side service with a reduced menu. 
  • Gateway Arch National Park will begin a phased reopening June 17 at 9 a.m., with the opening of its visitor center, museum, store and cafe. The Tram Ride to the Top will remain closed for the time being. Visitors will need to make timed ticket reservations in advance, and are encouraged to follow CDC guidelines on social distancing, wearing masks and hand-washing. Employees will frequently disinfect surfaces, and the Arch will have new Plexiglass barriers and hand-sanitizing stations. On July 7, the Arch announced it would delay Phase II in reopening—which included tram rides, movies, and outdoor National Park Service programming—due to an increase of COVID-19 cases in Missouri.
  • The Muny will debut its online season, "Muny Magic in Your Home," June 15 at 8:15 p.m. Although the theater announced Saturday that it will remain closed this summer, the show will go on in a weekly Monday night show featuring footage from "Muny Magic at The Sheldon" and variety shows from "Muny friends and family around the world," according to a press release. Each show will be streamed again the following Thursday, but will not be available after that. 
  • Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis will reopen July 9. Visitors will be encouraged to reserve free tickets, which will be available starting July 2. Anyone age 9 and older will be required to wear a mask. Those who are at high risk of contracting the virus will have special access to the museum on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon. The cafe and bar will remain closed, but non-alcoholic drinks will still be available. 
  • The International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum will open its doors again July 8 with reduced hours of 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays through Saturdays. Capacity will also be reduced to 10% of normal, and guests older than 9 will be required to wear a mask. The reopening will feature an exhibition that was postponed from March due to the coronavirus, called "Masterworks: Highlights from the IPHF Collection." It celebrates the hall of fame's 55 years and highlights over 50 photographers. 
  • The Fabulous Fox Theater will postpone its next four shows: "Mean Girls," "My Fair Lady," "Jesus Christ Superstar," and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Its seven-show season ticket package will now begin with "Frozen," playing Feb. 10-21. Season specials "A Christmas Carol," Dec. 3-6, and "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer," Dec. 18-19, are still planned for those dates. The theater is working to reschedule "Cats" and "Hamilton," which were both postponed in the spring. 
  • The Climatron at the Missouri Botanical Garden will reopen to the public this week and be open to visitors Thursdays through Sundays. The iconic dome remained closed after the garden reopened in June and will continue to operate with reduced hours so staff can safely care for the plants. The Boxwood, Carver, Chinese, Rock and Herb gardens will all reopen to the public this week for Thursday through Sunday visits as well. 

This story will be updated. 

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