Staff and volunteers at Keswick Museum are welcoming back visitors this week.

The venue re-opened on Monday, with safety measures in place. It will be open 12pm to 4pm daily.

Administrator Tracy Henderson said: “It is fantastic to be able to welcome back visitors, everyone is being so positive about all the changes we have made to be able to reopen our much loved museum.”

The museum has been supported in its reopening by a £31,000 grant from Arts Council England’s Emergency Fund. It will go towards additional staffing, enhanced cleaning, events, learning activities, IT support and business development.

Behind-the-scenes work is being carried out to ensure it is safe to open, from introducing hand sanitiser at the front entrance to footprints to follow around the museum marking a social distanced one-way system.

The changes will mean that some of the more interactive elements of the Museum have temporarily been removed but old favourites such as the Musical Stones will still be available to be played, with beaters cleaned between visitors.

Plans are being made to adapt the learning and events programme to ensure it is flexible to meet the demands of its users and can adapt as the situation develops.

For example, new loan boxes are being created to be used in schools and events such as storytelling and lunchtime talks will be recorded and made available online.

Manager Becks Skinner said: “This is a difficult time for heritage and cultural venues as Covid-19 has caused a drop in visitor numbers on which our income relies.

"We are taking this challenge on, looking at new ways of working and adapting our charity to meet the needs of the community.”