D.C. has 70+ museums, all of which were forced to close their doors in March. Now, with Phase 2 underway, some are welcoming back guests. But it's not going to be the same as before. I spoke with some for @DCist on what museums are going to look like going forward. /thread

First of all, phase 2 comes with its limitations. No tours and smaller groups. At least 3 museums have reopened or announced opening plans: the Spy Museum, Bible Museum and ARTECHOUSE which opens tomorrow. But all have had to contend with these restrictions.

For some museums, keeping guests safe means limiting what the touch and what they do and how they interactive with exhibits. ARTECHOUSE has always been about interacting with exhibits without touching but for other museums, like the Spy Museums, it means changing entire exhibits.

Shutdown and reshaping exhibits is costly, too, all on top of the losses museums experienced during closure. The Smithsonian said it lost $22 million and could stand to lose more. Technical & physical changes also require time, which makes reopening harder.

What does this all mean for you? The museum-goer? Read my latest in @DCist to find out more: https://dcist.com/story/20/07/08/the-coronavirus-emptied-d-c-s-museums-will-they-ever-return-to-normal/

One thing you might notice is that changes aren't necessarily a bad thing. One museum told me it's good to have extra hand sanitizer and restrictions have allowed them to be creative in their educational mission.

What are you most excited to see once more museums reopen?

One thing I loved is that museums have been able to experiment digitally. One museum told me they were never closed -- only open in a different way.