Visitors will be able to enter the Smithsonian’s museums and the National Zoo without wearing face masks as of Friday, March 11.
The new guidelines are in line with recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as local and national policies around masking indoors, according to a statement from the Smithsonian.
Those wishing to wear a mask during their museum visit may opt for it, the institution added.
Starting Friday, March 11, visitors to our Smithsonian museums and National Zoo will no longer be required to wear masks. Starting Monday, March 14, our @NMNH and @NationalZoo will be open seven days a week. Learn more about visiting: https://t.co/bLqdlI2HB3
— Smithsonian (@smithsonian) March 7, 2022
The museums are also entering a transition period when they will be operating increasingly more days per week.
The National Museum of Natural History and the National Zoo, which are currently offering reduced visiting hours due to the COVID-19 crisis, will be open to the public every day of the week, beginning Monday, March 14.
To view the full schedule of the Smithsonian’s museums and their COVID-19 policies, click here.