GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Museum of Natural History will reopen its permanent exhibits to the public on July 3. The museum is offering members early access to exhibits on July 1 and 2.

“We’ve missed our museum visitors and couldn’t be more excited to welcome them back,” said Darcie MacMahon, Florida Museum director of exhibits and public programs. “We’ve prepared thoughtfully and thoroughly for their return and look forward to reopening our doors.”

The museum will resume its regular hours Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. The entrance to the “Butterfly Rainforest” exhibit will close at 4:30 p.m. daily.

To ensure a safe and enriching environment for guests and staff, the museum is following the guidelines of the University of Florida Board of Trustees, with counsel from UF Health. These include:

  • All visitors and museum staff are required to wear face coverings.
  • Foot traffic throughout the museum will follow a one-way path to ensure physical distancing.
  • Guests are encouraged to wash or sanitize their hands frequently. Hand sanitizer stations are available throughout the building.
  • Credit cards are preferred for purchases.
  • Workspaces, exhibits, common areas and galleries are regularly sanitized. Certain touchable technology and interactives will be unavailable.

Exhibits reopening include the “Butterfly Rainforest,” “Florida Fossils: Evolution of Life & Land,” “Northwest Florida: Waterways & Wildlife,” “South Florida People & Environments,” “Exploring Our World,” “Fossil Plant Garden” and “Florida Wildflower & Butterfly Garden.” All exhibits are free, but regular admission fees apply to enter the “Butterfly Rainforest” exhibit, which will have limited entry: $14 for adults ($12 for Florida residents and seniors) and $7 for ages 3-17. Admission is free for museum members and UF students with a valid Gator 1 card. Admission tickets will be available for purchase at the entrance to the Rainforest exhibit. The Collectors Shop and West Gallery will also reopen.

Exhibits that remain closed include the “Amazing Pollinators,” “Discovery Zone” and “Our Energy Future.” The Butterfly Rainforest Gift Shop, East Gallery and Children’s Gallery are also closed, and the museum has temporarily paused Butterfly Spotlights in the Rainforest, group tours and weekend plant sales.

The museum’s visitor parking lot will be available free of charge for the summer, and 45-minute metered parking spots and UF decal lots are still in effect. Accessible parking is available. Due to COVID-19 testing in the Cultural Plaza until August, guests should enter the Plaza via Hull Road.

Visitors can also connect with the museum from home through its virtual programsextensive online resources and email newsletters.

For the latest information, visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/museum-blog/covid-19-update or follow us on social media, @FloridaMuseum.

Please refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website for the latest updates on COVID-19.

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Writer: Nikhil Srinivasan, nsrinivasan@flmnh.ufl.edu
Source: Darcie MacMahon, dmacmahon@flmnh.ufl.edu
Media contact: Kaitlin Gardiner, kgardiner@flmnh.ufl.edu