Penn Museum Reopens After Restrictions Are Lifted

PHILADELPHIA — Following the state’s lift on COVID-19 restrictions that temporarily halted operations for Pennsylvania businesses, the Penn Museum will reopen to the public on Friday, January 8, 2021, resuming its regular hours, Tuesdays–Sundays, 10:00 am–5:00 pm. As the safety of its visitors, staff, and community remains a top priority, the Museum will continue with its important safety measures, including:

• Advance-purchase timed tickets available online. To aid in social distancing, admission will be kept to a limited capacity. Visitors save $2 when purchasing tickets online at penn.museum
• A one-way journey through the Museum, with floor markings to help guide guests as they explore 10,000 years of history from around the world.
• Face masks. Everyone will be required to wear a face covering at all times inside the Museum and in outdoor spaces like the Warden Garden. All visitors will be asked to maintain at least six feet of distance from other guests not in their household group.
• Increased cleaning frequency. Spaces are regularly cleaned and sanitized using CDC-rated products. Hand sanitizer stations are available throughout the building.
• Complimentary single-use stylus. Each guest will receive a Penn Museum stylus to encourage safe use of interactive touchscreens in the galleries.

As a part of its reopening, the Penn Museum will unveil a new special exhibition of 25 stunning images, Invisible Beauty: The Art of Archaeological Science, Saturday, January 16. Access is included with admission.

Zooming in on the science behind archaeological discovery, Invisible Beauty offers an exclusive look into the innovative research that takes place behind the scenes inside the Center for the Analysis of Archaeological Materials (CAAM) at the Penn Museum.

In addition, in partnership with Send Chinatown Love, the Penn Museum will host its 40th annual CultureFest! Lunar New Year celebration online. Throughout January, nearly 25 activities will lead up to one of the most important holidays celebrated in many Asian cultures. Lunar New Year is widely recognized by Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Tibetan communities in Philadelphia. The complete line-up of virtual events can be found at penn.museum/culturefest.

For everyone’s safety, some parts of the Penn Museum experience will remain modified such as temporarily pausing access to touchable artifacts and free public tours. The Café will also remain closed. However, the Shop, now with an online store, will reopen onsite. The Museum’s exciting digital programs for all ages continues online with a robust lineup of live happenings and classes through its calendar of events as well as digital resources available 24/7 via Penn Museum at Home.