- The Commandery and Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum reopen to visitors Tuesday 7 July
- Hartlebury Castle opening Saturday 4 July
- Measures put in place to ensure the safety of visitors and staff
- Includes brand new exhibition at the Art Gallery & Museum – A Welcome View
Following new government guidance Museums Worcestershire is pleased to announce that all its sites will be open by Tuesday 7 July.
A vistitor in The Commandery courtyard
The Commandery and Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum will be reopening their doors on 7 July following a significant period of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The County Museum at Hartlebury Castle reopens on Saturday 4 July.
The museums are following government safety advice with a number of measures in place to keep visitors and staff safe. These include queueing and one-way routes to help manage social distancing, enhanced cleaning schedules and hand santiser stations. The sites will be asking for card payments rather than cash for admissions and shop purchases.
Head of Museums Worcestershire, Philippa Tinsley said:
“We are extremely pleased to be able to welcome visitors to our museums once again. Providing a safe and healthy visit is our top priority. Visitors may notice things will be a little different; our routes may have changed, visitors will be reminded to observe social distancing, contactless payment will be in place, but the museums, their collections and stories that our visitors know and love, will still be here to welcome and entertain them.”
AM Spragg’s Old Canal Bridge, Salwarpe, Worcestershire (1898) will be featured in A Welcome View.
A brand new exhibition will welcome people to Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum – A Welcome View is a series of wonderful scenes of Worcestershire, celebrating both the wealth of Worcester’s Fine Art collection and the beauty and tranquillity of the county. The exhibition gives visitors the opportunity to lose themselves for a moment and reflect on wonderful views they may have been missing during lockdown.
At The Commandery visitors will be able to enjoy the gardens and outdoor spaces as well as explore The Civil War Story exhibition and discover more about one of Worcester’s oldest buildings. The independent onsite café, Commandery Coffee, will also be open with a range of hot and cold drinks and food.
At the County Museum at Hartlebury Castle visitors can enjoy favourite museum collections including toys and games and gypsy caravans and explore the Fashioning Peace exhibition featuring a display of fabulous fashions showcasing the glitz and glamour of the 1920s. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays the historic grounds, Bishops Palace and state rooms will also be open. Tuesday – Thursday, when only the County Museum is open, reduced admission rates will apply.
Hartlebury Castle
Visitors are encouraged to check the museums’ visitor guidance before planning a visit for information on safety measures and are also warned that safety measures may necessitate occasional changes to opening hours or to the visitor experience.