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New York City was the epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States in March. Now the citys cultural sites are slowly reopening.
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After six months of hibernation, the American Museum of Natural History is slowly coming back to life.
The Upper West Side institution reopened its doors to the general public this Wednesday after the longest closure in its entire 150-year history.
But the hiatus did give the museum ample time to clean all of the dinosaurs teeth, offering a silver lining of the shutdown.
Among the first visitors to return were Chrissie Murphy and her two daughters, who danced between the T-Rex and the Apatosaurus through the hall of Saurischian fossils.
“To not be able to come here for six months has been really tough on us,” said the stay-at-home mother from Connecticut. “So just knowing that it was open again today, we were so excited to come back.”
Emma took a close look at the T-Rexs teeth. “It has giant teeth and I am wondering if it can crack bones,” she said. She got the unequivocal answer to that question – “T-Rex could pulverise bones, in a snap” – in the exhibition T. rex: The Ultimate Predator, which opened right before the pandemic and has been extended until spring next year.
Visitors have to book tickets ahead of time and they must wear a mask in the museum. It has only opened at 25 percent capacity, as is the case for most of the other cultural attractions in New York City.
“Were really limiting the numbers and just were making sure that its an enjoyable experience,” explained the museums chief of visitor services, Lisa Krassner. “Its a great time to make the museum your own and really explore without any crowds.”
Back at The Met
Due to travel restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19, most of the visitors queuing up outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which reopened in late August, are locals.
“Weve been waiting for this. Weve been counting down,” said Tamar Wise, a New York City attorney, whose daughters had scooted to the museum from their home.
“I want to see the art, all art inspires me,” daughter Ariel, six, explained from behind her face mask.
Daniel Rossi, New Yorks best-known hot-dog vendor, is also back up and running. His two carts have occupied the spot rightRead More – Source
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