In this Friday April 10, 2020 photo, Reggae, an Atlantic harbor seal, peeks out of an outdoor exhibit at the New England Aquarium in Boston. The workers who feed and train Atlantic harbor seals have been donning masks as a safeguard to avoid the unlikely scenario of unknowingly infecting the animals with the coronavirus, after concerns rose after a tiger at New York’s Bronx zoo tested positive for the virus. The aquarium is closed to the public due to the virus outbreak.
The New England Aquarium will reopen its doors to the public on July 16, but with much smaller crowds and other changes designed to keep visitors safe from the new coronavirus.
The aquarium closed on March 13, as the coronavirus pandemic brought all non-essential businesses to a close in Massachusetts. But on Monday, Boston will join the rest of the state in Phase 3 of Gov. Charlie Baker's reopening plan, which allows museums to open again.
"We are thrilled that the Commonwealth and the City of Boston have deemed it safe for us to welcome back the public to our institution, and we are grateful for their leadership and guidance," said Vikki N. Spruill, the aquarium's president & CEO, in a statement. "These have been a challenging few months for so many, and we have missed our visitors. During our reopening, we are focused on providing a responsible, safe and fun experience for all."
To prepare for reopening, the aquarium said it has been carefully planning for the public to safely return. That includes capping the number of people allowed inside at 15% -- far lower than the 40% cap required by state regulations.
Other measures the aquarium said it's taking include timed tickets, a one-way flow that will take guests through exhibits in the same direction, contactless entry so visitors don't have to physically interact with staff taking tickets, more thorough cleaning and more.
To learn more about what to expect from the aquarium's new set-up or to buy tickets, visit neaq.org.
While it was closed, the beloved Boston institution has been focused on caring for its 20,000 animals as well as continuing conservation work at its Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, according to a statement from the aquarium.
