This is when Weston Park Museum and the Millennium Gallery will reopen in Sheffield – along with everything you need to know about visiting

The two venues, which have been shut since lockdown was imposed in March, will admit visitors again from August 17 with social distancing measures in place, Museums Sheffield said.

Members of the public will be asked to wear face coverings, one-way routes are being introduced in some areas, dressing-up costumes and interactive exhibitions have been removed and a free booking system will be brought in, alongside ‘some capacity for walk-up entry’.

The sites will initially be operating revised opening hours, with each site open from 11am to 3pm every day.

To help manage numbers, the Millennium Gallery will also temporarily change how its entrances and exits operate, with visitors being asked to enter via Arundel Gate and exit through the Winter Garden.

Each venue’s Ambulo café is scheduled to reopen on September 1, initially with a limited menu and socially-distanced seating, with an extended outdoor space at the Millennium Gallery.

The toilets at both locations will be open from the outset, in a limited capacity.

At Weston Park Museum, visitors can expect to see a brand new gallery focusing on local history called Sheffield Stories, as well as the Ancient Egypt exhibits that debuted earlier this year.

At the Millennium Gallery, visitors will be able to explore the Metalwork and Ruskin Collection displays, as well as the Nomadic Tales exhibition from Sheffield-based artist Richard Bartle.

Then, from September 12 until November 1, the Lines of Beauty: Master Drawings from Chatsworth exhibition returns, showcasing work by names including Rembrandt, Rubens and Van Dyck from the Devonshire Collection.

Kim Streets, chief executive of Museums Sheffield, said: “We can’t wait to welcome visitors back – it will be fantastic to see people come through the doors and bring the museums back to life again. Keeping everyone safe is our number one priority.”

Kim said her organisation, which generates 30 per cent of its own income each year, had been ‘hit hard’ by the closure.

“We’re doing all we can to reopen safely so visitors can feel confident in returning. Every pound they spend in our shops or are able to give via our contactless donation stations will make a huge difference in helping safeguard the city’s museums and galleries.”

Bookings will be taken from 10am on August 13. Visit https://www.museums-sheffield.org.uk/welcome-back for details.

A separate announcement is expected soon regarding the Graves Art Gallery, which will reopen along with the rest of the Central Library building.

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