CC museums reopen following COVID-19 shutdown

After a COVID-19 imposed shutdown, both the Tate Geological Museum and Werner Wildlife Museum are again open to the public.

“We are excited to be open again, and we encourage both locals and tourists to stop by for a visit,” said Patti Finkle, director of museums.

According to Finkle, there have been several changes at both museums as a result of COVID-19. Those changes include a reduction in operating hours as well as a limit of 25 people, including both staff and visitors, in each museum’s display spaces and lobby.

Both museums will now be open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, while the Tate will also be open on Saturdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. “Closing an hour early each day will allow staff to clean and disinfect the museums,” Finkle said.

Visitors to both museums will be asked to wear face masks “ … out of respect for those staff members with immunocompromised family members and their fellow visitors. We are also asking that groups of no more than eight people come to the museums, visitors keep 6 feet apart from those who are not part of their group, and that visitors keep their children with them at all times,” said Finkle.

Both the Tate and Werner now have sanitizing stations, and all visitors will be encouraged to use them both before and after their visit. The Tate’s “Dino Den” and the Werner’s “The Lair’ are closed until further notice, all summer programming has been canceled, and tours will not be available. “The COVID-19 precautions that we have adopted will make summer visits unique, but we still want to encourage people of all ages to come and learn with us,” said Finkle.

The Tate Geological Museum is located on the Casper College campus. For more information, call the Tate at 307-268-2447. The Werner Wildlife Museum is located off the Casper College campus at 405 E. 15th Street. For more information, call the museum at 307-235-2108. Both museums are free and open to the public.