Guelph museums to reopen with COVID-19 guidelines in place
Key facts
- Guelph Civic Museum opens to members Tuesday, July 21, opens to public on Friday, July 24
- The Families Gallery at Guelph Civic Museum will reopen Tuesday, August 18
- Fourth Friday concerts resume outdoors starting on Friday, July 24
- McCrae House opens Friday, July 28
- Call ahead or schedule your visit on Eventbrite
- As of Friday, September 18, face coverings are required to enter the museums.
Updated August 14 – The Guelph Civic Museum is now open with measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Visitors are asked to schedule a time to visit.
Guelph is one of many cities moving in to Stage 3 of Reopening Ontario—the provincial government’s COVID-19 recovery plan. The Guelph Civic Museum and McCrae House are among the first facilities the City is preparing to open to the public.
Parts of City Hall, and Guelph’s Provincial Offences Court are already open, and the City expects to reopen more facilities and resume more programs and services in the coming weeks.
“We’re so happy to be able to welcome back museum employees, members and visitors,” says Tammy Adkin, manager of Guelph Museums.
The Guelph Civic Museum opened two new exhibitions just two days before closing back in March: Guelph Circa 1999, Lay of the Land, and the permanent exhibitions are now open for viewing.
Beginning August 18, visits to the Families Gallery must be pre-registered. One family/social bubble will be admitted at a time. Visits will start at the top of the hour and be limited to 45 minutes. The Families Gallery will be sanitized between each set of visitors.
While the museums were closed to the public, museum staff were busy gathering and documenting COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement in Guelph. Visitors can expect to see the results of this work in the months ahead.
Museum hours
Starting Friday, July 24, the Guelph Civic Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the fourth Friday of each month.
Starting Tuesday, July 28, McCrae House National Historic Site and will be open from 1 to 5 pm Tuesday to Sunday.
Up to 10 people can visit at the same time. Before you visit, reserve your admission ticket on Eventbrite or call 519-836-1221. There is no set fee for admission until September 6, but the museum is accepting donations. You can donate online when you get your ticket, or during your visit.
COVID-19 guidelines at museums
- Please do not visit if you are sick.
- Please use the hand sanitizer provided at the entrance.
- Please follow the arrows and physical distancing cues; stay two metres away from other visitors.
- If you can, please wear a mask or face covering while inside; museum employees will wear face coverings for your protection.
- Please don’t bring anything you don’t need. Our cloakrooms are closed, and you must keep all belongings with you.
- Gift shops are open. Please pay using a debit or credit card with tap function if possible.
Resources
Media Contact
Tammy Adkin Manager, Guelph Museums
City of Guelph
519-836-1221 extension 2775
