Islanders are being encouraged to step back in time and rediscover 2 of the Isle of Wight’s historic treasures as Dinosaur Isle and Newport Roman Villa are getting set to reopen soon.
Dinosaur Isle will lead the charge, reopening today (Monday 20th July) with a raft of strict new health and safety measures in place including a new booking system.
Visitors must book in advance by calling 01983 404344 in order to control numbers and help reduce contact. Other measures include a new one-way route, 2-metre social distancing rules, additional cleaning, hand sanitiser stations at regular intervals and visitors must wear face coverings at all times.
The museum will also comply with the government’s Test and Trace measures so will require contact details for all visitors.
Martin Munt, museum curator, said:
“We have been working hard to get the museum up and ready in time for the summer holidays.
“We have put in place measures to ensure our visitors remain safe during their visit and much of the museum is available to see.”
The museum will open Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 16:00, with the last admission at 15:00. Youngsters will also receive a fun activity pack. However, at this time, fossil walks, interactive sandpits and the education room are not available.
Visitors will be asked to use hand sanitiser on their arrival, before and after touching interactive displays and before they leave the museum and shop.
For more information, visit the museum’s Facebook page Dinosaur Isle or website www.dinosaurisle.com.
Meanwhile, Newport Roman Villa is set to reopen on Monday 6th August — follow the villa’s Facebook page for further information.
Isle of Wight Council leader, Dave Stewart, said:
“We are looking forward to welcoming visitors to our much-loved attractions once more.
“We are confident our museums are Covid-secure and have all measures in place to maintain social distancing for everyone’s safety.”
Super news …all the staff at DI do a great job and really help identifying items of bones found by locals & holiday makers (Rebs)..well worth a visit