SANDWICH – Heritage Museums and Gardens has reported a successful summer and is ready for the changed shoulder season on Cape Cod as the fall approaches amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anne Scott-Putney, President and CEO of Heritage Museums and Gardens said that all of their primary attractions opened over the summer, with the exception of their carousel which would have been part of Phase 4 of Governor Charlie Baker’s reopening plan.
“Despite COVID and our having to cancel some of the larger events and programs and such, we’ve still had a wonderful summer. I have to tell you people are really loving to be outdoors to reconnect with nature and just feel normal here on Cape Cod,” said Scott-Putney.
Scott-Putney said that a mild winter helped invigorate the hydrangea season and jump-start their reopening and that although it has not been a peak year, they experienced good visitation numbers.
She said that part of Heritage’s success over the summer is owed to having something they could open in every state reopening phase: gardens in Phase 1, then the gift shop, their café, then museums, always following mandates for capacity limits along the way.
She said that being able to open their museums portion has been a large boon for the organization over the summer.
Even cloudy days provided good days for garden walking, as visitors came looking for activities when it was not perfect beach weather, she said.
Visitors coming from within the region rather than faraway travelers have made up many of the Heritage Museums and Gardens guests, according to Scott-Putney.
“That’s particularly gratifying to us because our mission is to celebrate the cultural heritage and landscapes of Southeastern New England. And so when that really is our primary audience, as well as people from some of the other neighboring states, I think we’re really speaking to people’s own heritage,” said Scott-Putney.
Heritage’s focus on regional history led to exhibits such as Let’s Play Toy Stories, which showcased some of the classic games that have been manufactured in New England like Monopoly, Clue and Chutes and Ladders.
Scott-Putney said that the organization has kept safety as its priority, with their rules and guidelines following closely with Governor Baker’s protocols.
Some examples of safety restrictions include masks being required indoors in the museums.
Scott-Putney said that the organization has been providing plenty of sanitizer and cleans their facilities several times a day.
“We just encourage people to enjoy being outdoors, but also be safe at the same time and make sure they have masks when they come to Heritage because they’ll need to wear them,” said Scott-Putney.
Educating staff has been an important focus and Scott-Putney said that they have been organized and professional throughout the entire reopening process, being able to pivot plans in a coordinated way.
Scott-Putney said clarity and communication have been the most important parts of reopening safely, which they will continue be attentive towards as fall events approach.
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