Category:2020

2019 2020 2021


2019	Events	2021
2019	Exhibits and upgrades	2021

2020: an empty Trafalgar Street during the "Stay At Home" COVID-19 restrictions [image info]

COVID-19 graphic [image info]

Covid compliance logo [image info]

March 2020 saw the first serious numbers of COVID-19 cases in the UK. In the light of Government advice and the actions being taken by Brighton's other museums and cultural/heritage organisations, the museum took the decision to temporarily close the museum to visitors from Wednesday 18th March 2020 (the same day that the Brighton Pavilion and Museums chose to close), also cancelling all museum events, school visits and artist performances until further notice.

The museum will be using this time to work on a number of projects to further enhance and improve the museum's infrastructure and displays, for when it reopens. Although we normally have some sort of enhancements, improvements, new exhibits or displays appearing each month, we'll be able to use the temporary absence of visitors to work on some quite serious upgrades that would otherwise be difficult.

During this time, staff members will be either working from home, or working "compartmentalised", with strictly one person per room (to avoid cross-contamination from work surfaces should one of us contract the virus).

April 2020 After further consideration, we decided to go further and "pause" all current museum work for the time being, in line with what other non-essential businesses are doing. Given that we were running out of jobs for people to do from home, and that we don't know how many months it might take before the museum is allowed to reopen and start generating income again, the staff have agreed to to go into furlough as of 1st April. This seems the sensible thing to do.

July 2020 saw us reopen (on the 28th July), with COVID restrictions in place. Booking is now available online by time-slot, the museum has counter screens and distancing floor stickers, the tickets and item sales are card-only. Visitors are requested to abide by government regulations regarding face coverings.