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Visitors to KidsQuest will have to wear face coverings. Courtesy of KidsQuest Children's Museum
Update Nov. 16: Talk about unfortunate timing! Rats! Just days after KidsQuest reopened to families, a huge spike in coronvirus cases statewide forced the governor to reinstate restrictions, including requiring museums to close. Mask up, stay home, do not gather with those outside your household and we'll be back playing at KidsQuest in no time.
Popular local indoor play spot KidsQuest Children’s Museum in Bellevue has announced that it’s reopening for play on Wednesday, Nov. 11. For Puget Sound-area families in desperate need of places to play, especially at the onset of rainy weather, this is welcome news.
Timed-entry tickets go on sale Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Several family-friendly local museums have reopened, including The Burke Museum, Museum of Flight and MoPop. But a museum specifically dedicated to kids offers a whole different level of hands-on play.
So families considering a visit will not be surprised by KidsQuest’s implementation of many new procedures and rules. Read on for highlights of what you need to know, and if you’re game for a visit, get your tickets asap.
What to know for a visit to KidsQuest:
- Visitors need to book timed-entry tickets in advance, for a two-hour block.
- Guests must go through safety screening procedures at the museum’s entry and agree in advance to KidsQuest’s health policy.
- Masks are required for everyone ages 5 and older for the duration of a visit; KidsQuest strongly prefers that children ages 2–4 also wear masks. Masks must be disposable medical masks or cloth masks and must cover both the nose and mouth; face shields are also acceptable for those who can't wear masks. Medical exemptions are not allowed.
- Families must follow directions and signs, and maintain physical distance from other museum visitors. Signage and staff will help.
- Families may not eat in the museum; bring a refillable water bottle to fill at water fountains if desired.
- Restrooms are open.
- KidsQuest staff will use an electrostatic sprayer, among other disinfecting procedures, to sanitize touchable surfaces between sessions.
- Read complete COVID-19 safety procedures online.
South Sound kids’ museum
Another children’s museum in the region has already opened. Hands On Children’s Museum in Olympia opened over the summer when Thurston County reached Phase 3 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s phased reopening plan. Like KidsQuest, Hands On is selling timed-entry tickets, limiting capacity and requiring face coverings, among other new procedures. If you want a truly private museum experience, you can book an exclusive visit to the museum for two hours for your family or pod group of 10 or fewer people — for $395.
More places to play
In addition to Hands On, several destinations around the region are offering private tours or sessions for individual families or pod groups.
