Summer is here and some of our favorite spots are coming back from their COVID-19 shutdowns. Whether you’re an animal lover, a music buff or just looking to spend some time outside the house with the kids, here’s our guide on what to expect when you finally return to some of Cleveland’s most prominent attractions.
Cleveland History Center and Hale Farm & Village
The coronavirus isn’t history yet, so the Cleveland History Center and Hale Farm & Village are living in the present. When Hale Farm & Village reopens July 9 and Cleveland History Center reopens July 24, all of the guidelines recommended by Governor Mike DeWine will be in place, such as facial coverings, advance-purchase tickets, enhanced cleaning, social distancing and staggered visitor entries. It’s a lot of planning, says Western Reserve Historical Society president and CEO Kelly Falcone-Hall. “We have to do it if we want to keep our staff safe and our guests safe” she says. While big annual events may have been canceled, there’s still plenty to do in both spaces, from the Cleveland History Center’s Cleveland Starts Here exhibit to new, self-guided themed tours at Hale Farm. The WRHS will also be maintaining its Then & Now blog and virtual presence, including several virtual exhibits such as Women and Politics. 10825 East Blvd., Cleveland, 216-721-5722 and 2686 Oak Hill Road, Bath, 330-666-3711, wrhs.org
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Lions, tigers and bears are just some of the familiar animal faces you can see again right now. With all animal exhibits open except for the Rainforest exhibit, be sure to poke into the newly renovated Daniel Maltz Rhino Reserve on your next visit. Safety measures include one-way directional paths, additional hand-washing stations and cleaning of high touch-point areas. The zoo will also only be operating at 25% capacity, so all tickets must be reserved in advance. “We’re really trying to ask people to get online, and if the day you want is sold out, there are plenty of other days,” says Chris Kuhar, the zoo’s executive director. “It’ll be a great opportunity to get out with the family, but planning ahead will be a great help.” 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, 216-661-6500, clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo
Cleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art is ready to share its collection with everybody once again, as safely as possible. “We developed an internal task force and we also consulted with a board-certified epidemiologist to establish safety protocols and different safety measures in accordance with the guidance of state and local authorities and the [Centers for Disease Control],” says Kelley Notaro Schreiber, the museum’s communications and media relations manager. When the museum reopens June 30, it will at first receive a maximum number of 500 visitors per day. All visitors must reserve tickets in advance. Guests will also be temperature scanned when they enter, the museum will be cleaned daily, anti-bacterial solution stations will be on offer and face masks will be required. While art fans have kept entertained with CMA’s digital initiative, called “Home is Where the Art Is,” they are sure to be happy that all the permanent galleries will be open, except for the 1916 lower level gallery and the ARTLENS gallery. Stop by to see a new exhibition showcasing pieces from the collection of prominent Clevelanders Joseph P. and Nancy F. Keithley for the first time. 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland, 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Discovery awaits once more at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. After proactively closing on March 16 and pivoting online with the popular CMNH@Home and CMNH@Night digital shows and playlists, the museum will welcome visitors back on July 1. New safety precautions are in place, such as single-direction flow through the exhibits, getting rid of contact points in hands-on exhibits, temperature checks, a mask requirement and two-hour timed-visit reservation slots purchased online or by phone. “What we are committed to is everybody’s safety: visitor safety, staff safety, even animal safety. We want to make sure everybody has a great experience here, but that they feel safe,” says Harvey Webster, the museum’s chief wildlife officer and ambassador. And all of your favorite icons can’t wait to see you again, from Lucy to Balto to the Giganototosaurus, a member of the new Ultimate Dinosaur exhibit. To plan ahead, check out CMNH’s Facebook page, where Linda the opossum will be doing walkthroughs of the exhibits. 1 Wade Oval Drive, Cleveland, 216-231-4600, cmnh.org
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock Hall is here for an encore and Greg Harris, Rock Hall president and CEO, can’t wait for you to hear it. “We’re really excited to be out ahead and be leading what we hope is a resurgence of our region,” he says. “We’re opening stronger now than we were when we closed.” After exactly three months of opening their vaults virtually, the rockin’ museum re-opened its doors in-person June 15. Participating in the “CLEan-committed” campaign, guests will have to make reservations to visit, get their temperature checked upon arriving, and will be required to wear masks and maintain social distance throughout the now one-way flow of the museum. Don’t miss the Play it Loud exhibit, the iconic collection of instruments from some of the greatest artists even, which runs now through December. 1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., Cleveland, 216-781-7625, rockhall.com