EcoTarium First Worcester Museum To Reopen As Coronavirus Slows

WORCESTER, MA — The EcoTarium will be the first major museum in Worcester to reopen amid a lull in the coronavirus pandemic. However, the science museum will operate in a reduced capacity for the remainder of the summer.

The EcoTarium, 222 Harrington Way, will open its doors for the first time since March on Saturday. The grounds will be open to the public on weekends only — a measure meant to protect children participating in a summer camp at the museum — through Aug. 23.

The museum is also putting safety measures in place, including mandated face masks, and requiring visitors to buy tickets online before arriving.

Museums are being allowed to reopen in phase 3 of Gov. Charlie Baker's statewide reopening plan. That phase began on July 6, and also allows gyms and movie theaters to reopen.

Almost the entire museum will be open, including the main building and wildlife exhibits. Sections that will remain closed include the snack bar, the "Arctic Next Door: Mount Washington" exhibit, and the Explorer Express Train.

Other major museums in the city, including the Worcester Art Museum, the American Antiquarian Society, and the Worcester Historical Museum, all remain closed. The Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton plans to reopen to the public beginning July 17.