WHOA, COOL!
Yay! Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum reopens after coronavirus-related closure
The Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum is open again after months of being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We had no revenue from operations for 7 months of 2020, so the closure had a major impact on us,” executive director Lisa Phelps said. “A lot of our members are generously foregoing membership extensions and are renewing their memberships which has been very helpful and we are extremely grateful for this.”
On Monday, Oct. 12 the museum opened and the new hours include Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The reduced hours as well as Tuesday and Wednesday being closed is due to the implementation of extensive cleaning procedures.
“Business has been slow but steady and we are happy with that,” Phelps said. “Even with our reduced capacity we have not had to turn anyone away. If we had to shut down again, as heart breaking as it would be, I have absolute faith that our wonderful community would be here for us and would see us through whatever is to come.”
Guests can expect a plexiglass barrier at check in, additional hand sanitizing stations throughout facility, hands free water bottle filling station, staff certified in OSHA COVID-19 healthy workspaces training, staff wearing masks and reduced capacity.
Visitors are expected to wear masks, social distance outside of family groups, and practice proper handwashing and sanitizing among other expectations.
“Stay home if you are sick, otherwise compromised or have been around anyone that has tested positive for COVID-19,” Phelps said.
While the museum is open, there won’t be any events or pro-
grams at this time.
“At this time, we are getting back to basics and we just want to see our visitors enjoying the museum and exhibits,” Phelps said. “We have missed the children enjoying our space and we are pleased thatwe are at a starting point. We will look at phasing things back in as the situation evolves and we can do so in a safe and appropriate manner.”
With that in mind, the Mt. Pleasant Discovery museum will be participating in the united way matching Challenge running through October.
“The Unitedway of Gratiot & Isabella Counties has generously agreed to match all donations they receive on behalf of Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum, up to $15,000, during the month of October 2020,” Phelps said.
“These funds are greatly needed as we had no revenue from operations for 7 months of 2020.”
To donate, a link is available on the Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum website and Facebook page or checks can be mailed directly to the United Way with the museum in the memo line.
Also while this is going on, the “3,2,1...Blast Off!” exhibit is being launched and currently in the beginning
fabrication phase. The exhibit is three- story rocket climber that will be located in the silo and be themed around space and technology.
The exhibit was meant to be installed this fall but was delayed due to the pandemic, so now a spring installation is hoped for instead.
“We are currently raising
the funds needed to complete this project,” Phelps said. “Our members and visitors are actively involved with raising funds and we often have children bringing in allowance and piggy bank money to donate to the cause.”