OUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE BOROUGH OF KINGS
WHAT’S OPEN?
COURIER LIFE, AUG. 28-SEPT. 3, 2020 33
BY ROSE ADAMS
Coney Island’s New York Aquarium
opened to members on Sunday after
a months-long closure due
to the COVID-19 pandemic,
bringing joy to families
and fi sh afi cionados.
“I’m just so happy
that it opened,” said
Queens resident
Rachel Klepadlo,
who attended the
reopening with her
daughter, Max, her
husband, and their
friends. “It was something
we’ve been waiting
for for a while.”
Attendees explored some
of the aquarium’s popular mainstays,
such as the shark tank and the outdoor
penguin habitat — and even got
to meet the new seals that were born
during quarantine!
Klepadlo said that three-year-old
Max and her friend particularly loved
a new exhibit called “Spineless” featuring
jellyfi sh, octopus, and other sea
creatures without backbones.
“They just opened the jellyfi sh exhibit,
and that was new to them, so
they thought that was the best day
ever,” she said.
The aquarium’s
reopening follows
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s
Aug. 14 edict allowing
museums and other cultural
institutions to reopen on Aug. 24 at
limited capacity with strict social distancing
guidelines. The aquarium,
which closed in March because of the
pandemic, will open to the public on
Aug. 27.
To ensure the disease doesn’t spread,
aquarium staff are limiting the number
of visitors in a room at any given
time, making sure that attendees wear
face masks, and asking all visitors to
buy timed tickets in advance. The free
admission policy on Wednesday afternoons
will continue from Sept. 2 onward,
but those tickets will also need to
be ordered online in advance.
Offi cials are also instituting strict
cleaning protocols, particularly of
high-touch areas, and ensuring that
staff members wash their hands frequently,
according to the aquarium’s
website.
Klepadlo, whose daughter went to
the aquarium’s leaning center every
week before the start of the pandemic,
said she felt safe exploring the aquarium’s
indoor spaces.
“They had staff members in every
indoor area counting people. We felt
like we had the place to ourselves,” she
said, adding that her family has already
talked about returning. “We’re already
planning to go back in two weeks.”
Splash
down!
NY Aquarium
draws families
for reopening
GOING DEEP: Families explored the New York Aquarium’s new
Spineless exhibit during its reopening for members on Aug. 24.
Photos by Erica Price
Museums and other cultural institutions
are fi nally able to reopen in New York
City. Like most establishments that have
reopened in the past months, everything
has a new “normal,” and the same
goes for these museums. Here’s some of
what’s open or opening soon:
Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum will reopen its
1st and 5th fl oors on Sept. 12. Patrons
must maintain six feet of social distance
and travel light, because there’s no coat
check. All in-person tours are also suspended
until further notice. For more
info, visit www.brooklynmuseum.org.
Prospect Park Zoo
The Prospect Park Zoo is now open to all
guests, the only caveat is that you must
purchase tickets ahead of time. Face
coverings are also a must. For more info,
visit www.prospectparkzoo.com.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is open
for the socially distanced viewing of your
dreams. Advance timed-entry tickets are
required — as are face coverings. Food
services are also closed and picnicing is
not permitted. For more info, visit www.
bbg.org
/www.bbg.org
/www.prospectparkzoo.com
/www.bbg.org
/www.brooklynmuseum.org
/www.brooklynmuseum.org
/www.prospectparkzoo.com
/bbg.org