Children’s Museum Houston reopens to the public with safety protocols in place

HOUSTON – It is official! Children’s Museum Houston is now open to the public. The museum has 13 new exhibits and several safety protocols in place for families.

This summer’s theme is “fun summer vibes.” It is a tropical cool paradise for families who want to get in vacation mode, and many families say they need it. The Children’s Museum was shut down for almost a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But today is a grand reopening with all of the stops. There are 13 new exhibits, entertainment, beach ball toss, and lots of fun for the kids. The Tot Spot, which is a hands-on exhibit for children under 35 months remains closed.

Families said they are so excited to get back to this place.

“I’m excited for them to go somewhere and play and learn. We are going to come every week!” said one mother, Tish Jernitan.

“When you go into the museum, there are 13 exhibits. Each one is designed by some of the most renowned experts to stimulate the young kids right away,” said Gilbert Garcia, of Garcia Hamilton and Associates, who sponsors the Children’s Museum.

The museum also has several hand sanitizing stations and workers are constantly wiping areas down. And anyone not vaccinated is being asked to wear a mask, including children, said spokesman Henry Yau.

“It takes everyone to care about the safety of everyone, especially children,” Yau said.

Dr. Stan Spinner, pediatrician, chief medical officer and vice president of pediatrics for Texas Children’s Pediatrics and Urgent Care, said parents should keep a mask handy in public places, especially for children under the age of 12 who are not yet eligible for a vaccine.

“I would recommend that parents have their children that are under age 12 masked and if they have children over age 12 that have not been vaccinated I would have them masked as well,” Dr. Spinner saod. " I would also encourage them to get vaccinated as soon as they can.”

He said there might be emergency authorization for the Pzifer vaccine for children under 12 as early as September. He said there’s currently a trial being conducted for children 6 months to 11 years old.

The museum has new hours:

Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

And Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.

For more information go to, http://www.cmhouston.org/.