South Shields Museum and Art Gallery sets out reopening plans - this is what to expect

South Shields Museum and Art Gallery will be opening its doors on Thursday, August 13, for the first time since lockdown was imposed in March.

The venue has been awarded the 'We’re Good To Go’ Covid-19 industry standard from Visit Britain, which assures local residents and visitors that the venue is adhering to Government guidelines.

Visitors will have access to the displays but with lowered capacity and social distancing restrictions in place.

The ground floor will be open for visitors to explore the Landing Craft Tank exhibition, which opened just before lockdown and tells the story of LCT 7074, built at the R & W Hawthorn Leslie & Co. Ltd. shipyard in Hebburn, South Tyneside.

The Victorian Pantry cafe will also be open with social-distancing measures in place.

However, the upper floor will be closed and there will be a one-way route around the museum.

Cleaning regimes will be increased especially in areas of high contact and contactless payments will be encouraged.

Staff and volunteers will be on hand to help visitors adjust to the new way of visiting.

Admission remains free, but the venue is encouraging as many people as possible book in advance.

Ticketed time-slots have been introduced, which can be booked online from 6pm on Thursday, July 30.

There will be a small allocation of tickets available on the day, for those who are not able to book online.

Geoff Woodward, museum manager North & South Tyneside, TWAM, said: “We are delighted to be able to reopen on 13 August, the Museum is in the very heart of the South Shields community. We’re very much looking forward to welcoming visitors back to enjoy the museum displays.”

Councillor Tracey Dixon, Deputy Leader of South Tyneside Council, added: “It is wonderful that the museum will be welcoming visitors back soon with new measures in place to ensure their safety.

“The museum is a great place to find out more about our fascinating shipbuilding past, as well as being a fantastic free attraction for families to enjoy over the summer.”For more information and to book visit: www.southshieldsmuseum.org.uk

A message from the Editor:

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to the Shields Gazette website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit here to sign up. You can subscribe to the newspaper with 20% off here. Thank you.