Cook Museum opens Saturday amid coronavirus outbreak

Hundreds came to the Cook Museum for the Butterflies and Friends Fun Day

Themselves safe?

The butterflies and friends fun day at the cook museum of natural sciences went on all day.

But the museum did take precautions, as concerns about covid-19 spreading in north alabama grow.

With parades, sporting events and meetings being canceled across north alabama during the covid-19 outbreak... about 250 people chose to spend saturday at cook museum of natural sciences in decatur, exploring exhibits, during butterflies and friends fun day.

"we knew it wasn't going to be what the alabama department of health classified as a mass gathering or a large gathering.

Huntsville residents, suanna camisuli and christopher rovere are thankful the museum stayed open.

"we are looking forward to having a great day."

The two did take precautions before leaving their house.

"so we took a bunch o vitamin c mixed it in with our water, powered up."

"seratonin, dopamine, are your natural defenses, so wash your hands and thats it."

And they aren't the only ones at the museum taking measures to prevent coronavirus from spreading.

"not touching anything, we are going to sanitize, i actually have a spray botte of peroxide, im freaking out, but just on the inside."

Cook museum public relations manager mike taylor says workers wiped down every exhibit, took away exhibits that are dificult to clean, and installed hand santizer before opening saturday.

"definatly feel comfortable here yeah becase of that."

Taylor says no more than 15 people were ever in the same room, making corvia stevens feel safer.

She has this message for anyone scared of leaving the house during the coronavirus outbreak "just stay calm, keep living."

Now cook museam of natural sciences is monitoring their spring break programs and other events coming up.

Taylor says the museum is re-scheduling events that will be in a confined space.

Reporting live in decatur lynden blake, waay