The North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) welcomes visitors back to the Museum galleries starting Wednesday, September 9, with updated hours, required free timed tickets to encourage social distancing, and increased health and safety procedures including required cloth masks.

New Museum gallery hours are Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm. The Museum Park remains open dawn to dusk, with reopened Park restrooms. Visitors must reserve a free timed ticket to access the Museum collection. Visitors can reserve free timed tickets at visit.ncartmuseum.org for a no-touch entry experience. Tickets will also be available in both buildings; cash transactions will not be accepted.

Special exhibitions Good as Gold: Fashioning Senegalese Women and Leonardo Drew: Making Chaos Legible open alongside Christopher Holt: Contemporary Frescoes/Faith and Community and Front Burner: Highlights in Contemporary North Carolina Painting. Exhibition ticket price is $18 plus tax; tickets and more information on exhibitions are available at ncartmuseum.org/summer2020.

“We look forward to welcoming visitors back to the North Carolina Museum of Art,” said Director Valerie Hillings. “Through the collection and exhibitions, we aim to take our visitors on a journey across time and place, offering the comfort of old favorites and the excitement of new discoveries. Our top priority is keeping visitors and staff safe through expanded measures that encourage social distancing and follow state safety guidelines.”

Here is additional information on the Museum’s health and safety guidelines, new entry and visit procedures, and paused experiences:

Health and safety measures

• Cloth masks required for visitors and staff.
• Frequent deep cleanings of the Museum and high-touch areas, including doors and restrooms.
• Hand sanitizing stations throughout galleries and restrooms. Some restroom stalls and sinks are closed to ensure social distancing.
• Plexiglass shields installed at check-in desks and Museum Store.

New entry and visit procedures

• Number of visitors allowed in galleries is limited and controlled by a timed-ticketing system.
• Visitors enter through a single door and exit through a single door in each building.
• Visitors travel the galleries on a one-way path noted by stanchions and signs.
• Number of visitors in the Museum Store is limited, with social distancing cues on the floor.
• The Museum Library is open to the public by appointment only. More information on scheduling is available at ncartmuseum.org/art/library.

Paused experiences and events

• Lockers are temporarily unavailable, so visitors should plan to leave food, drinks, and backpacks in their vehicles.
• Many interactive experiences and touch and listening stations, including the family lounge, African Textiles Lab, and Ancient Art Lounge, remain closed.
• Seating has been removed from galleries and common areas. Seating is available in the entry and lobby areas of West Building.
• Indoor events and tours are suspended.

Visitors are encouraged to follow the “Three Ws” as outlined by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services: WEAR a cloth mask over your nose and mouth, WAIT in line at least six feet away from others and avoid close contact, and WASH hands frequently or use hand sanitizer. If experiencing symptoms of illness, visitors are asked to postpone their visit.

Find more information at ncartmuseum.org/covid19.

About the North Carolina Museum of Art

The North Carolina Museum of Art’s collection spans more than 5,000 years, from ancient Egypt to the present, making the institution one of the premier art museums in the South. The Museum’s collection provides educational, aesthetic, intellectual, and cultural experiences for the citizens of North Carolina and beyond. The 164-acre Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park showcases the connection between art and nature through site-specific works of environmental art. The Museum offers changing national touring exhibitions, classes, lectures, family activities, films, and concerts. The North Carolina Museum of Art is led by Director Valerie Hillings, PhD. Located at 2110 Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh, the NCMA is the art museum of the State of North Carolina and an agency of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, serving under the leadership of Governor Roy Cooper and the direction of Secretary Susi Hamilton, DNCR. For more information visit ncartmuseum.org.