Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh on the North Side to reopen after 15 months
The reopening date for the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is significant.
It will reopen on June 12 — the date it officially opened back in 1983.
“We are so excited about coming back,” said Bill Schlageter, marketing director for the museum. “We have been looking at the timing to open again and are going to do so under an abundance of caution.”
Museum hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. The adjacent MuseumLab, which offers kids experiences in art, tech and making things, will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The museum has been closed since March 14, 2020, because of the covid-19 pandemic. It hosted a few virtual and outdoor events during that time. During the closure, Schlageter said exhibits were “re-imagined” and upgrades were made to safely accommodate guests.
The museum also implemented a timed-ticketing system. Guests can also call 412-322-5058, ext. 240.
“We have missed seeing children every day, and while we have done our best to support remote learning and socially distanced activities, we are thrilled to welcome back kids and families to the museum,” said Jane Werner, executive director of the museum in a statement. “We have worked hard to re-imagine our exhibits and activities to provide new and fun ways to share joy, creativity, curiosity and kindness with the world.”
A new exhibit at the MuseumLab will be Gymlacium, an art structure created with rope by artist Manca Ahlen of Slovenia.
“It spans three stories of the building,” Schlageter said. “She creates a lace effect with very thick rope. It’s art that can be explored by visitors.”
The museum will debut of “Emotions at Play with Pixar’s Inside Out,” based on the animated film. There is also the Kindness Gallery, which is an exhibit offering creative ways to communicate and show kindness as inspired by the lessons of Mister Rogers and Daniel Tiger.
Masks will be required.
Children under age 3 do not have to wear a mask.
Temperatures will be taken.
The Museum’s cafe will not be open. Visitors are welcome to bring a lunch or snack and drink to enjoy in the cafe.
Schlageter said they’ve been researching national museum trends and gathered information about families’ comfort zones with bringing children inside.
“We have taken this time away to re-imagine how we operate and better support our team and serve our members and guests,” he said. “We want our guests to feel as safe and comfortable as they can be in this new era.”
He said they will continue to monitor the pandemic before adjusting capacity and hours.
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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