Museum of Science reopens with some COVID-19 modifications

One of Boston's most popular attractions is reopening this weekend, the Museum of Science.

But with so many interactive exhibits - they needed to change a few things

CHRISTINE: IT’S BEEN A TOUGHROAD SINCE MARCH, BUT THAT HAS-- WHAT HAS KEPT US MOVINGFORWARD IS OUR MISSION.DOUG: THE MISSION FOR CHRISTINEREICH AND HER TEAM AT THE MUSEUMOF SCIENCE OVER THE LAST FEWMONTHS HAS BEEN PREPARING THECENTER FOR SCIENCE ANDTECHNOLOGY TO WELCOME BACK THEPUBLIC.FRIDAY WAS A CHANCE FOR FRIENDSAND MEMBERS OF THE MUSEUM TO GETTHEIR FIRST LOOK AT THE NEWNORMAL.CHRISTINE: OUR HOPE IS THAT WHENYOU COME TO THE MUSEUM, IFYOU’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, YOUWON’T BE ABLE TO NOTICE WHAT’SBEEN TOUCHED.DOUG: SOME 600 DIFFERENTEXHIBITS AND EXPERIENCES HAD TOBE REVIEWED.OVER 100 HAD TO BE CHANGED INSOME WAY TO KEEP VISITORS SAFE.AN EXAMPLE, THE POPULARBUTTERFLIES HAD TO BE SENT ONVACATION, TO WELCOME IN INSECTSFOR FOLKS TO ENJOY.AND IN SOME CASES, LIKE WITH THEAPOLLO SPACE CAPSULE, THERE ARETHOSE HANDS-ON ELEMENTS THATNEED TO BE A LITTLE LESSINTERACTIVE.CHRISTINE: SOME OF OURCOMPONENTS USE TO BE TIGHTLYPACKED TOGETHER, AND NOW WE’REMAKING SURE THERE IS AT LEASTSIX FEET, IF NOT MORE, SPACEBETWEEN INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITSINTERACTIVESTIM: THE DAY WE CLOSED IS THEDAY WE STARTED TO THINK ABOUTREOPENING.DOUG: MUSEUM PRESIDENT TIMRITCHIE SAYS AS THE COMMUNITY’STRUSTED PLACE FOR SCIENCE ANDTECHNOLOGY, ALL OF THE CHANGES,WHETHER IT’S OPENING SUNDAY TO20% CAPACITY, OR CONSTANTCLEANING, TO SANITIZING STATIONSOR REQUIRED FACE MASKS, THIS ISALL PART OF A GREATER LIVINGSCIENCE EXPERIMENT.TIM EVERYONE WHO WEARS A MASK IS: A CITIZEN SCIENTIST.WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT.WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TOBE CONFIDENT IN THE POWERSCIENCE TO OVERCOME THISPROBLEM.DOUG: NOT ALL OF THE EXHIBITSWILL BE PERMANENTLY CLOSED.TAKE FOR EXAMPLE THIS LITTLEMINI THEATRE.ON AUGUST 15, IT WILL OPEN UPAND VISITORS WILL BE ABLE TO ASKAN ARTIFICIALLY INTELLIGENTHEALTH SCIENTIST, THAT WILLAPPEAR IN THIS MONITOR, ANYQUESTIONS THEY MAY HAVE ABOUTCOVID-19.ON THE BOSTON-CAMBRIDGE LINE,I’M DOUG MEEHAN, WCVB