Orlando Sentinel

Museum seeks public input on reopening

Surveys expected to gauge comfort levels of visitors

- By Matthew J. Palm

When Orlando Museum of Art reopens on June 2, its patrons will have something to say about how it happens.

Across Central Florida, art galleries and museums are weighing safety protocols for opening their doors after coronaviru­s-caused shutdowns. Orlando Museum of Art, in Loch Haven Park, is inviting its supporters to participat­e in the discussion.

“We’re certainly going to take recommenda­tions from the Centers for Disease Control and local government,” said Jimmy Sherfey, the museum’s marketing and public-relations manager. “But we want to know what our members are feeling. They are the museum.”

The museum has emailed a members a survey about returning and later sent it to those who receive its newsletter. For the general public, the survey will be available at the museum’s website.

All arts organizati­ons, whether theater- music- or artbased, are struggling over how and when to reopen. The museum’s survey will provide some of the first insight into how ready the cultural community at large is to return.

The survey poses questions about people’s comfort level in returning to public spaces. “Which of the following would make you feel safer?” it asks, giving options such as socialdist­ancing reminders, mandatory masks and temperatur­e checks.

The museum also tries to gauge the balance between economic and health concerns, asking if patrons would be willing to pay more for special events if attendance was curtailed to make social distancing easier.

“You can’t necessaril­y invite 800 people or 1,000 people into a space,” Sherfey said.

Since the museum shut down in March, there has been increased demand for online content, and executives are trying determine if a high level of digital programmin­g should continue even after the museum reopens.

So far, about 10% of members have responded to the survey, and many were enthusiast­ic about online offerings.

 ?? JOE BURBANK/ORLANDO SENTINEL ?? A visitor studies the artwork of James Gibson, left, and Alfred Hair, a part of the “Living Color: The Art of The Highwaymen” exhibit at the Orlando Museum of Art.
JOE BURBANK/ORLANDO SENTINEL A visitor studies the artwork of James Gibson, left, and Alfred Hair, a part of the “Living Color: The Art of The Highwaymen” exhibit at the Orlando Museum of Art.

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