KC’s Science City, planetarium reopen amid COVID-19, with a slew of safety measures

Children painted on glass walls and climbed around a helicopter exhibit at Science City on Wednesday as masked workers walked around cleaning hand rails and equipment.

After more than two months of COVID-19 shutdown, the Union Station family attraction reopened on Wednesday, but things are a bit different now.

“We’re really taking it slow and focusing on our customers,” said George Guastello, president and CEO of Union Station.

Science City and the neighboring Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium are open only to members for now. They will open to the general public June 17. The reopening came with several safety measures.

Visitors came in through one entrance on the first floor and exited out another on the upper floor. Staff wore face coverings, and visitors are encouraged to as well. On Wednesday, some visitors, including children, wore masks, but not all.

Mary Prichard of Kansas City visited Science City with her two children, ages 5 and 8, all wearing face masks.

“Everything has risk, but I have been pleasantly surprised with how it has been since we got here today,” Prichard said. Yellow “Social Distancing Hot Spot” and “One Way” markers lined the floor, with “Stay Right” markers for the stairs.

Ben Sikora of Lee’s Summit came with his wife, 3-year-old and 10-month old, something they would do two or three times a month before Science City closed.

“We were just waiting for them to reopen, so it’s getting back into our normal ritual,” Sikora said.

Rachael Stiles of Shawnee visited with her two children, 7 and 9, and two of their friends.

“This is one of their favorite places to come in the city,” Stiles said.

Guastello said Union Station collaborated with other museums and institutions, such as the National WWI Museum across the street, to create the KC Cares program, ensuring they are following the same guidelines as they reopen.

Science City and the planetarium are limiting guest capacity to 10%.

They will be open for a morning session from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and an afternoon session from 2 to 5 p.m., with sanitizing in between.

Visitors can only purchase tickets in advance on Union Station’s website, tickets.unionstation.org.

“It was nice that we had to sign up and reserve a time online and know that they were going to be limiting the number of people that could be inside,” Prichard said.

The museum also provided hand sanitizers throughout both attractions.

“First and foremost is protecting those individuals that walk in this door: our associates and our customers,” Guastello said.

Another family entertainment option, Worlds of Fun, plans to open on June 22 with safety measures, such as limited capacity and scheduled visits.

St. Louis’ popular children’s attraction, the City Museum, will reopen on June 17, according to its website.

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis does not plan to open until mid-July, based on state and county regulations. When the museum reopens, it will limit capacity, require face masks, increase airflow with a new HVAC system, and institute sanitization measures, spokeswoman Kimberly Harms Robinson said in an email.

This story was originally published June 10, 2020 at 4:53 PM.