The Oberlin Heritage Center is open as of Tuesday, June 30, 2020.
Public Open Hours (Business, Museum Shop, & Research): Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Tour Options
○ Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. - Freedom’s Friends: Abolition & the Underground Railroad (begins in front of The First Church in Oberlin, U.C.C.)
○ July 11, August 8, & September 12 at 3:00 p.m. - Oberlin’s Responses and Reactions to Issues of Race (begins in front of The First Church in Oberlin, U.C.C.)
○ July 25, August 22, & September 26 at 3:00 p.m. - Architecture Walk (begins at Flagpole on Tappan Square at intersection of Main & College Sts)
Guidelines
Upon the announcement by the Ohio State Governor that museums are allowed to reopen to the public, OHC will enact the following guidelines to ensure the safety, health, and well-being of all visitors, volunteers, and staff.
Advance Registration Required
For the duration of Summer 2020, and extending further out if necessary, all visitors will be required to make advance reservations and payments for tours by registering online at https://secure.oberlinheritage.org/events.shtml or by calling the museum at 440-774-1700. Visitors without reservations may be refused service. If you plan to visit OHC for business or to visit our Museum Store, please consider calling ahead to schedule an appointment to ensure you receive the best possible service. All research requests and appointments must be scheduled in advance.
Limited Capacity
At this time, all tours will operate with the restricted capacity of nine (9) individuals from one (1) family or familiar group. During our restrictive operations, the building capacity will be limited.
Health Check
All visitors or household groups must complete the COVID-19 screening survey, including the written confirmation that: 1) they do not feel ill or exhibit common COVID-19 symptoms, and 2) they have not knowingly come into contact with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19 within the previous 14 days.
Safety
All visitors to the Monroe House and on our history walks are required to wear face coverings if they are physically able to do so. Disposable masks are available at the museum, as supplies last (donations are greatly appreciated to help offset costs of providing this service). We also encourage visitors to take advantage of our hand sanitizing station and/or restroom for hand washing before and after the tour. We ask all museum patrons to follow social distance guidelines by standing 6 feet apart from individuals not in their immediate familial or familiar group. Visitors who do not follow our safety protocols may be refused service and asked to leave.
Limited Services
Due to limited staff hours, cleaning supplies, and for the protection of our collections and patrons, please understand our daily operations and use of grounds will be limited. At this time, we cannot allow groups to congregate in the usual indoor spaces included on the Freedom’s Friends: Underground Railroad and Abolition History Walk (First Church in Oberlin and the Little Red Schoolhouse). Picnic tables, the swing, and similar outdoor amenities on the museum grounds will not be available for use at this time, but may be reopened later in the summer. Tablets may still be reserved and rented from the Monroe House for our self-guided tours and will be thoroughly disinfected after each use.
Subject to Change
Given the nature of the pandemic and OHC’s limited human resources, there may be unexpected service interruptions which we will do our best to communicate in a timely manner. We appreciate your support and understanding of our policies and we hope to welcome you to the Oberlin Heritage Center soon.
For questions or concerns relating to our operations and policies, please contact Amanda Manahan, the Museum Education & Tour Coordinator at 440-774-1700 or [email protected] .