Two popular Mesa family attractions — the Arizona Museum of Natural History and the i.d.e.a. Museum — will reopen to the public on Saturday, Nov. 7, with a members-only opening a week earlier, on Halloween.
Both venues, owned and operated by the city, have been closed since the pandemic hit in March.
For the first two months, both museums will offer half-price admission to all visitors. The “welcome back” special takes into consideration the fact that some areas of both museums are closed for safety or are still under construction.
Hours also have been reduced for the initial reopening period, capacity will be limited and advance-purchase online ticketing for specific times will be required. Masks will be required of all visitors age 6 and older, and strongly encouraged for children ages 2-6. Hand sanitizer stations will be readily available, and extra cleaning of high touch areas will occur throughout the day.
Exhibitions and facilities have been overhauled to change out or remove interactive experiences, replacing them with no-touch or low-touch options, and changing traffic patterns to provide one-way pathways through the facilities to avoid unintended proximity. Smaller spaces or solely high-touch environments have been closed until further notice to reduce risk.
i.d.e.a. Museum
150 W. Pepper Place, Mesa
Best for ages: 0-12 but activities appeal to all ages.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday
Admission: $9; free for infants up to age 1
Arizona Museum of Natural History
Location: 53 N. Macdonald, Mesa
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday
Admission: $6; $3.50 for ages 3-12 and free for children 2 and younger
Both museums offer annual memberships with benefits including unlimited visits during the membership period, members-only special events and exhibition previews, special hours, gift shop discounts and many other perks. Individual annual memberships at the i.d.e.a. Museum begin at $70; individual memberships at the Arizona Museum of Natural History begin at $115, with a family membership beginning at $150.
