The M.V. Museum will be reopening its outdoor campus to visitors at the end of this month. Visits will be permitted as of June 30 for members, and July 3 for the general public, according to the museum’s website.
The museum will offer an adjusted experience in order to meet the health and safety standards implemented due to COVID-19. A face covering, brought from home, will be required of anyone who enters Doherty Hall, interacts with a staff member, or participates in a tour. Social distancing must be practiced at all times, and hand sanitizer dispensers will be stationed throughout the campus.
Although the museum building itself will remain closed, visitors can still enjoy a number of outdoor attractions on the campus. Doherty Hall, which houses some of the museum’s larger objects, will be open to masked visitors. The hall displays several iconic Island artifacts, including whaling and fishing vessels, and the original Chappaquiddick hearse.
Outdoor exhibits such as the Rose Styron Garden and “Sun-Bird” sculpture will be displayed. The garden, created by stonemason and designer Lew French, honors the open-minded approach of Island poet Rose Styron. Visitors are encouraged to use this space for contemplation, while basking in the beauty of the natural world.
The museum’s “Sun-Bird” has a more mechanical composition. Island artist Tim Laursen created the sculpture using a combination of stainless steel, bronze, and carbon steel. Powered by solar energy alone, the sculpture flaps its seven-foot wingspan, imitating a bird in flight.
The museum has also converted some of its indoor exhibits into outdoor experiences. Three indoor exhibitions will be displayed through the museum’s windows, allowing visitors to admire them without entering the building. Current exhibitions at this “Inside-Out Museum” include “Pandemic: Drawings by Jackie Baer,” “The Race Card Project,” and “Everyday Heroes: Photographs by Randi Baird.”
Other outdoor attractions offered by the museum include campus tours and yoga classes. Tours will begin on July 7, and run daily between 11 am and 2 pm. Only 10 people will be permitted per tour, so be sure to sign up ahead of time. Yoga classes will be taught by Jason Mazar-Kelly, better known as YogiJay. Sessions are $15 each, and take place each Saturday from 9 to 10 am. Details and registration can be found here.
For more information on the M.V. Museum’s new protocols and exhibits, visit the website at mvmuseum.org/reopening.
