Reopening San Antonio
3 major San Antonio tourist attractions announce reopening dates
As Texas begins to reopen, so too are San Antonio businesses and cultural attractions. Along with local restaurants, bars, and retail stores, three big-name museums have announced that they will open with social distancing and other restrictions in place.
San Antonio Museum of Art
Next week, the San Antonio Museum of Art begins its two-part reopening plan. On Tuesday, May 26, the museum will open to members before allowing the general public in on May 28. In keeping with Governor Greg Abbott's 25 percent capacity cap, SAMA visitors must purchase a ticket online and come to the museum during their scheduled time block.
Visitors must wear cloth facial coverings while inside the museum, but they may remove them outside, as long as the recommended six feet of social distancing can be maintained. Face masks will be available for purchase.
According to a release, staff members are required to take their temperatures prior to coming into work, sneeze guards have been installed at the main reception area, hand sanitizing stations have been made available throughout the SAMA, and social distancing guidelines will be enforced.
For those who are not quite ready to venture out into public spaces, the museum is offering SAMA Everywhere, a collection of virtual exhibitions.
Briscoe Museum of Western Art
The Briscoe Museum of Western Art is also offering members exclusive access May 21-22 before opening to the public on Saturday, May 23. The Briscoe is also offering half-off the entrance fee for Memorial Day weekend and free entry for healthcare workers throughout the summer.
The Briscoe is also operating at 25 percent capacity and requiring staff — though not visitors — to wear masks. Sanitizing stations, cleaning protocols, and plexiglass protective shields have also been introduced. Interactive exhibitions will also remain closed.
The Witte Museum
The Witte Museum has announced it will reopen beginning on Saturday, May 30. In accordance with phase two of the reopening plan, it is curbing capacity and requiring everyone (staff and visitors) to wear face masks.
Like the other museums opening this month, the Witte says it is installing hand sanitizing stations and new cleaning procedures during this process. It also says it's working to reimagine its interactive displays, including using a stylus to help visitors navigate through certain exhibitions.
Other San Antonio cultural institutions:
The Alamo — Closed until further notice.
The DoSeum — Closed until further notice.
McNay Art Museum — Closed until further notice.
Morgan's Wonderland — Closed until further notice.
River Walk —Open, with restrictions in place.
Ruby City — Ruby City, Chris Park, and the Studio remain closed until further notice.
San Antonio Botanical Garden — Open, with restrictions in place.
San Antonio Zoo — Drive-thru zoo currently available.
Schlitterbahn — Closed until further notice.
Science Mill — Closed until further notice.
