Aerospace Museum Of California Set To Reopen Outdoor Exhibits
MCCLELLAN PARK (CBS13) — It's a small step towards the new normal, but a giant leap for the Aerospace Museum of California, which plans to take flight with its outdoor exhibits on Thursday.
"We're really excited that the governor's guidelines are allowing outdoor museums to open," Cheryl Holkan, Museum Experience Director for the Aerospace Museum of California, said.
People will be able to roam the four-and-a-half-acre park with a mask and social distancing, seeing all sorts of aircraft that made our country's space dreams a reality, even some flown by Neil Armstrong himself. Visitors who don't have a mask can buy one for a dollar at the museum.
The museum sent a notice encouraging people to purchase tickets ahead of time using their online system. It also said it will not be accepting cash at this time and that only credit and/or debit card transactions are accepted. The admission prices are $7 for anyone four years and older. Kids under three and active duty military get in free.
But, only 400 visitors can be in the outdoor lot at a time and no inside attractions are open. If capacity is reached, people looking to enter the airpark will have to until a party of their sizes leaves.
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"The capacity of the airpark is around 5,000 people so it's less than eight percent," Holkan said.
The museum feels this will better improve social distancing as well as their training as they near full flight.
"We've trained our staff to have spaces in the museum and speak to the six people groups one at a time. And ask people to come back later; we aren't allowed to give tours yet," Holkan said.
Some folks can't wait to have another venue be ready for lift-off.
"Oh, it's going to be great! As long as people can do their distance, I think it's going to be really good, especially for the kids," Diane Benton said.
"That sounds fabulous. I believe that the country should reopen and business should continue," Ilona Mukha said.
Space is on plenty of people's minds with the Space X launch that was supposed to happen on Thursday. It has since been delayed due to weather and is expected to happen on Saturday.
The museum hopes their outdoor reopening will broaden people's own horizons.
"Not as many people come out to a museum on the outskirts of Sacramento," Holkan said. "A lot of the museums are downtown. We're really hoping that this will get the rest of the area that we are here."
The restrooms in the inside museum are open to visitors. The gift shop will be closed but, there will be an outside kiosk. The outdoor portion will be open from Thursday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
