The highly popular Discovery Center will soon reopen to the public.
The museum, located at 701 N.E. Sanchez Ave., is scheduled to open its doors again on Oct. 3. The facility will offer modified hours because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those hours will be:
- Tuesdays through Fridays will offer two sessions (10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.); and
- On Saturdays there will be three sessions available (10 a.m. to 12 p.m., 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. or 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.). Admission prices apply per session.
The new exhibit, Astronaut Academy, will open Oct. 3. General admission is $8 per person, $7 for seniors or veterans and free for children two and under. A family four pass is $28. Memberships are available, which include free admission and discounts on many programs.
Saturday programming, like Sing-a-long Science, STEAM Saturday and Star Lab Planetarium, will be available at limited capacities for an additional fee. Information and pricing are available at www.mydiscoverycenter.org.
In accordance with recommended health guidelines and in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, all visitors over the age of six must wear a face covering. There will be limited occupancy to allow for proper social distancing.
Reservations are highly recommended. Food and beverages are not allowed in the exhibit hall. Personal water bottles are allowed on the first floor, as the water fountain will not be available.
Additionally, staff will be implementing increased cleaning protocols for the facility. Hands-on manipulatives will be sanitized with appropriate cleaners during periods of high traffic and following each two-hour session.
The facility will close at 4 p.m. each day to undergo deep cleaning. Use of UV light will be implemented to sanitize the planetarium, and UV sanitization has been installed in Discovery Center air handlers. Items that are not easily sanitized have been removed or replaced and hand sanitizer stations will be available in all areas of the facility.
The Discovery Center of Ocala is a children’s museum that strives to provide community members of all ages an interactive, educational experience to stimulate a desire to expand personal knowledge. For more information and to view the complete reopening plan, visit www.mydiscoverycenter.org or call (352) 401-3900.