The Government on Monday 1 November made an in-principle decision that Auckland could potentially open under Alert Level 3, Step 2 on Wednesday 10 November. Under Level 3, Step 2 the Government has indicated that Museums can open if they can meet the health and safety requirements.

Should the Government confirm this decision on Monday 8 November, Tāmaki Paenga Hira will open its doors to the public on Monday 15 November. Visitors will again be able explore the Museum’s galleries including the free exhibitions: SHELF-LIFE by international award-winning British photographer Mandy Barker and Love & Loss which explores expressions of love, loss, hope and longing shared between lovers, friends, and families.

However, visiting the Museum will be a slightly different experience as Auckland Museum works to keep its people and visitors safe while they explore our galleries and taonga. The Museum will continue to follow all the workplace health and safety measures and Ministry of Health guidelines required in a COVID-19 environment, including contact tracing, face coverings, social distancing and hygiene measures in accordance with government alert levels.

At Level 3, Step 2 scanning the COVID-19 Government QR Code is compulsory to visit Auckland Museum. For visitors without access to a mobile phone, a manual register will be provided. Also, in keeping with government requirements, all visitors over 12 years of age and older will be required to wear a face mask at all times within the building. Strict hygiene precautions, and physical distancing of at least two metres between visitors not known to each other will be monitored and applied.

“Additional health and safety measures have been put in place to ensure that Aucklanders can access their war memorial and their taonga” says Dr David Gaimster, Chief Executive. “We have a duty of care to our people and the communities we serve that the Museum is a safe place to visit.”

Additional measures during Level 3, Step 2 include:
• Managed entry
• Museum capacity reduced to 500 pax at any given time of the day
• Cashless transactions
• The deactivation of all interactives, including Under the Tanoa and Weird & Wonderful
• Library/Reading room available by appointment only
• Due to confined spaces, the Pou Maumahara desk, Volcano House, Colours and Holocaust Galleries, and Haumanu within the Te Whiwhinga Imaginarium education suite will not be available to the public
• All school visits, public programmes and onsite events will continue to be suspended to ensure the safety of Museum visitors, people and communities.

During Level 3, Step 2, the Museum will open at 10am Monday to Friday, and 9am on weekends. Food and drink will be unable to be consumed in the Museum, as masks must remain on at all times. Water fountains will not be operating, and the Kai Room will not be open for use. Both the 1929 Espresso Bar and Tuitui Bistro and Café will operate for takeaway service only and any purchase must be consumed outside the Museum. Throughout this period the Museum will remain cashless accepting Paywave only and no cash. The Museum Store will also be open for cashless purchases, with physical distancing of at least two metres between visitors.

The Museum will be closed to the public on dates where the Domain may be used as a site of mass demonstration.

“We are very much looking forward to welcoming visitors safely back to their Museum,” Dr Gaimster concludes.

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