Colonial Williamsburg has announced plans for reopening after closing in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation announced Friday it’s planning to reopen the historic area on June 14. However, the foundation will have updated procedures and protocols to reflect the current best practices for public safety.
Those updates are made based on guidance from local and state health agencies and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a news release from the foundation.
Guests will see signage posted in public spaces reminding them to maintain a distance of at least six-feet apart from each other. The signs will include standing in lines, using elevators or moving around the Historic Area.
There will also be physical barriers made of plexiglass partitions in locations where visitors might line up for events or other activities, accoreing to the news release.
The foundation has also reduced the capacity for indoor spaces and the amount of guests on tours. The number of people allowed in each tour will be determined on group size limits and physical distancing protocols.
All guests will also be asked to wear face coverings when indoors. While the face coverings are optional, they are recommended and will be worn by all Colonial Williamsburg staff. For visitors that don’t have face coverings, Colonial Williamsburg will provide them for sale in its retail locations.
A new touchless ticketing system will also be implemented that allows guests to buy tickets online and redeem them on a smartphone. There will also be a map and program guide available for guests on the Colonial Williamsburg website.
The Colonial Williamsburg Regional Visitor Center will be opened with reduced capacity as guests buy tickets online. If a visitor does need to buy or redeem a ticket in person, there will be outdoor kiosks operating at the Visitor Center.
Guests will also be encouraged to park at the Visitor Center and use the footpath that connects the parking lot to the Historic Area. If a visitor is physically unable to use the walking path, they can be taken to the Historic Area on the Colonial Williamsburg shuttle bus. The shuttle bus has new procedures that will limit the number of riders — passengers will be required to wear face coverings.
For more information, visit Colonial Williamsburg online.
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