Troy University’s Rosa Parks Museum, located on the University’s Montgomery Campus, is reopening to visitors today, June 1.

The museum closed its doors on March 18 in response to statewide health orders that closed entertainment venues and tourist attractions in an effort to curb the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Until further notice, the Museum will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and closed Saturday and Sunday.

“The Rosa Parks Museum is pleased to once again welcome visitors,” said Donna Beisel, the museum’s Assistant Director. “The safety of our guests and our staff is our highest priority, and we are making every effort to ensure their well-being.”

The museum has implemented the following guidelines to ensure the safety of visitors and staff:

• Staff and visitors will be required to wear face masks throughout the Rosa Parks Museum and Children’s Wing;
• Visitors are expected to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet (2 meters) from anyone outside their immediate family;
• All tours will be self-guided until further notice;
• Group tours are limited to 8 visitors at a time with starting times every 15 minutes;
• The museum gift shop is limited to three visitors at a time;
• Museum staff will have temperatures taken and answer health-related questionnaires before each shift;
• Staff will sanitize all public spaces once every two hours or as needed;
• Visitors will enter through the front door on Montgomery Street and exit through the side door on Molton Street. Visitors to the Children’s Wing will enter through the doors facing Lee Street and exit on Montgomery Street.
• Hand sanitizer will be available at front desks for visitors or soap and water are available in the restrooms;
• Visitors will be asked to wipe down any touch screen monitors prior to using;
• Water fountains will not be available; and,
• Audio guides will be coming in the near future.

In spite of the more than two-month closure, the museum continued to engage the public through various efforts on its social media platforms.

“During this difficult time, the Rosa Parks Museum has been working diligently to continue our mission of sharing the legacies of Mrs. Parks and the foot-soldiers of the Montgomery Bus Boycott through our social media content,” Beisel said. “In addition to our #RebelliousRosa program that highlighted items from our permanent exhibit, we have also been sharing documents and images from our collection that have rarely, if ever, been shared. These efforts have received wonderful response from the public, and we are grateful for those who continued to engage with the museum, even while we were closed to visitors.”

For additional information, visit the museum’s website at www.troy.edu/rosaparks, follow the museum on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, or call 334-241-8615.