TORONTO, June 26, 2020 – The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is delighted to announce it will re-open to the public starting Saturday, July 11, 2020. With new health and safety measures in place, visitors will soon be able to reconnect with one another through art, culture, and nature in a welcoming and safe environment. ROM Members have advance access to the Museum beginning Thursday, July 9.
The first phase of the Museum’s reopening offers visitors the opportunity to explore the ROM’s permanent collection and 40 spacious galleries throughout the summer, including the ROM-original installation Florals: Desire and Design, with special exhibitions and additional spaces opening at later dates*.
Following the Province of Ontario’s public health recommendations, the ROM has implemented protocols and operational changes to ensure the wellbeing of our community, and an enjoyable and safe Museum experience.
These practices include:
- Limited, timed tickets: visitors are asked to reserve tickets online ahead visiting. Tickets will be available starting July 6 for ROM Members and July 7 for the general public.
- New temporary hours of operation: Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:30 pm
- Requiring visitors and staff to wear face masks and respect physical distancing
- Strict capacity limits and adapted, marked pathways to maintain physical distancing
- Frequent cleaning and enhanced disinfecting measures
Full details on what to expect when visiting the ROM are found at rom.on.ca/welcomeback. Guidelines will also be outlined onsite at the Museum.
Further information on programming** and exhibitions—including the return of the beloved Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring a Classic and the opening of the new ROM-original exhibition The Cloth that Changed the World: India’s Painted and Printed Cottons—will be announced soon.
The ROM temporarily closed to the public on Saturday, March 14, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, the Museum expanded its online presence with #ROMatHome; audiences can continue to enjoy virtual tours, educational activities, magazine articles, and live videos with ROM experts through the Museum’s social media channels and website.
*Temporary space closures include: Bat Cave, CIBC Discovery Gallery, Patrick and Barbara Keenan Family Gallery of Hands-on Biodiversity, indoor eating areas, and coat check. ROM Boutique will be open.
**The ROM's limited reopening does not currently include: camps, guided tours (inside or outside the Museum), school-based visits, or event-space rentals.
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For further information, contact:
Sally Tindal, ROM Communications
stindal@rom.on.ca
647.641.7954
ROM Social Media
Instagram: @romtoronto
Facebook: @royalontariomuseum
Twitter: @ROMToronto
ABOUT THE ROM
Opened in 1914, the Royal Ontario Museum showcases art, culture and nature from around the world and across the ages. Among the top 10 cultural institutions in North America, Canada’s largest and most comprehensive museum is home to a world-class collection of 13 million art objects and natural history specimens, featured in 40 gallery and exhibition spaces. As the country’s preeminent field research institute and an international leader in new and original findings, the ROM plays a vital role in advancing our understanding of the artistic, cultural and natural world. Combining its original heritage architecture with the contemporary Daniel Libeskind-designed Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, the ROM serves as a national landmark, and a dynamic cultural destination in the heart of Toronto for all to enjoy.