The Denver Museum of Nature & Science has ended one of the last vestiges of the COVID-19-era restrictions that were put in place three years ago in an effort to stop the spread of the virus.
As of Monday, members of the museum are no longer required to reserve advance, timed tickets to gain entry to the general admission exhibits. Advance tickets are still recommended for the Infinity Theater, the Gates Planetarium and surcharged exhibitions like the current “Bugs,”, according to a member newsletter distributed this week.
Prior to the pandemic, members of most Denver cultural facilities, like the museum, the Denver Zoo and the Denver Botanic Gardens, could show up whenever they wanted. To help control crowds during social-distancing restrictions, however, most of these institutions required members to reserve timed tickets — typically at no charge — so as to limit the crowds.
“We put a lot of thought and analysis into this change and decided that we could safely make this adjustment,” said Ed Scholz, vice president of finance and business operations for the museum, in a statement. “Removing advanced ticket requirements for members will allow them to visit us at their convenience while providing the best experience for all guests.”
Both the zoo and the botanic gardens said they have no plans to end their own policies.
“We are still operating with our COVID-era daily member/guest capacity, but it’s not due to COVID at this point,” said zoo spokesman Jake Kubie via email. “It’s a carryover from that time, when we found that the guest experience is greatly improved when we limit daily capacity and time entry throughout the day. Parking is less of an issue, there are fewer lines at concessions and attractions, and people are able to get a better view of our animals.”
Similarly, DBG still “strongly encourages advance general admission registration … for both members and the public,” said spokeswoman Erin Bird. “While it is no longer a COVID safety protocol, we have found that advance registration allows for quick and easy entry … . It also helps us maintain capacity restrictions when they are needed. The same goes for special events and education programs. We accept walk-up entry, as availability allows.”
