STEAM, the Great Western Railway Museum, in Swindon, has announced its plans to reopen to the public.

The museum is owned and operated by Swindon Borough Council and will reopen to the public on Thursday 17th September 2020.

Visitors to the museum will be asked to respect social distancing, and hand sanitiser will be available throughout the museum, which will have a one-way system in place.

Following the government guidelines, STEAM will be requiring visitors to wear a face covering, unless in the exempt category.

Visitors and season ticket holders will need to book a timed slot via the STEAM Museum website. Slots are available every half an hour, and once on-site, visitors can stay as long as they like, with visitor numbers being limited each day.

STEAM has achieved a Good to Go certification, meaning they are COVID safe for visitors thinking of having a look round the museum.

Frances Yeo, STEAM Museum Manager, said: “I am delighted that we are reopening STEAM to the public on 17 September. The staff have worked so hard to implement a range of measures to aid social distancing and maintain cleanliness within the museum.

“We are looking forward to welcoming visitors back to STEAM and sharing the incredible history of the Great Western Railway.”

The shop at STEAM will be open, but the Platform One Cafe will remain closed, with the museum setting aside space for visitors to enjoy picnics from home.

Councillor Dale Heenan, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for the Town Centre, Culture and Heritage, said: “I am very pleased the STEAM Museum is finally reopening this week.

“Staff are excited to start welcoming visitors back and have been working hard to put new measures in place, in line with government guidance.

“Families can now safely enjoy STEAM, and two new exhibitions, so please remember to pre-book your tickets.”

To book your ticket, please visit the STEAM Museum website by clicking here.

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