With European countries lifting COVID-19 containment measures, many science centres and museums are now re-opening or working on re-opening strategies.
To help science centres and museums in this crucial phase, Ecsite is collecting re-opening plans, recommendations and guidelines from different countries across Europe.

This list is updated on a daily basis with the latest documents and information we receive from our members and our sister organisations worldwide.

If you wish to share guidelines or re-opening plans that have been drafted for your own organisation, in your country, or for other organisations (of course with the consent of the organisation drafting it), you can send them to mcouedic@ecsite.eu.

Austria

FRida & freD - The Graz Children's Museum prepared a specific set of recommendations for children's museums, which have different requirements than conventional museums. Available in German.

Belgium

Belgian museum organisations drew up a document for the resumption of museum activities, including a seven-point plan to guarantee sanitary measures. Available in French.

Technopolis, the Flemish Science Centre drafted re-opening guidelines and organised a safety training for its staff with general security measures to be applied in the context of the Corona crisis. Available in Dutch.

Finland

[Audience research] The Finnish Museum Association published a survey about Finnish audience’s willingness to visit museums this summer in comparison to the summer of 2019. The report presents very detailed data according to demographics and comparing diverse variables. Available in Finnish.

France

Universcience put together a comprehensive guide to prepare its staff when returning to work on their premises. The purpose of this guide is to give staff the essential guidelines and the instructions to be respected in the science centre to protect both staffs and visitors, from the COVID-19. Webinars were also organised to present the document and its recommendations to Universcience’s employees. Available in French.

The French Ministry for Culture published guidelines for museums re-opening. The document can be uploaded on their website. Available in French.

Germany

MINTaktiv, the German network of science centres and technology museums published its recommendation of measures for the reopening of science centres and technical museums. Available in German.

The Neanderthal Museum reopened on 5 May 2020 and follows a comprehensive list of measures to comply with hygiene and distance rules. Available in German.

Re-opening guidelines from the science centre Universum® in Bremen are available in German.

Norway

The Norwegian Museums Association published a set of guidelines for:

• the re-opening of small museums and open-air cafés,
• the re-opening of museums in phase 1 and phase 2
• Museums employees

Available in Norwegian.

Switzerland

Recommendations from the Swiss Museums Association are available in French, German and Italian.

The Netherlands

The Dutch Museum Association wrote a protocol for safe and responsible reopening of museums. Available in Dutch.

VSC the Dutch Association of science centres and museums asked their members to share how they implement on the ground the rules from Dutch official museum protocol. About 20 museums have shared their working documents and guidelines with the VSC team, who synthesized the information in one comprehensive document. Available in Dutch.

United Kingdom

A National Museum Directors’ Council (NMDC)-led cross-sectoral working group is developing good practice guidance on museum reopening with DCMS’ support. The approach is guided by the safety of visitors and staff, and financial sustainability. The guidance acknowledges the complexity of the sector, where each museum will be working within a unique set of circumstances and responding to local contexts. The guidance will be available in early June.

[Audience Research] Indigo Ltd, a specialist consultancy working in the Arts, Heritage and Cultural sectors, carried out a survey in the UK on audience views on returning to live cultural events, booking tickets (now & future), and missing out on events during lockdown. Available in English.