Glensheen Mansion reopened its doors Thursday after over three months of closure.
The historic Duluth estate along Lake Superior opened its grounds to the public June 8, but inside tours of the mansion have been closed since March 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A reduced capacity of 125 people inside the mansion and one-way, self-guided tour routes are now in place for general admission and full mansion tours. Both tours have interpretive signage and can be used with the attraction’s mobile app.
“Right now it is ready to go for the general public,” Dan Hartman, director of Glensheen, said during a news conference in the formal garden Thursday. “I think it has been great to see people enjoying Glensheen again.”
Glensheen hospitality staff AJ Mullozzi explains the new one-way, self-guided tour process to visitors Hazel (from left), Nate and Teri Thraser of St. Paul. (Samantha Erkkila / serkkila@duluthnews.com)
Glensheen also introduced a new lakeside outdoor bar and ice cream stand. Local beer, cocktails and beverages are available from Bellisio’s Catering from 1-5 p.m. as is ice cream by Love Creamery on the estate’s Lake Superior shoreline, which features plenty of room for social distancing.
Staff, following University of Minnesota guidelines, will be wearing masks when on the estate and interacting with visitors. Sanitizer stations are located throughout the estate and visitors are strongly encouraged to wear masks while inside the mansion.
“Our clean team goes around disinfecting spaces all throughout the property almost every two hours, plus we have staff who are cleaning high-traffic areas throughout the day consistently,” Hartman said.
Glensheen is open daily for self-guided tours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Eileen Rathbun, of Anoka, Minnesota, purchases a beverage at Glensheen’s new outdoor bar. Bellisio’s Catering is hosting the bar, which offers local beer, wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages. Local ice cream from Love Creamery is also offered at the estate’s Lake Superior shoreline. (Samantha Erkkila / serkkila@duluthnews.com)
The Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth is now open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is currently offering an outdoor-only experience in its first phase of reopening. Beginning July 2, visitors will have access to indoor buildings. However, the Griggs Learning Center will remain closed.
The Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. High-touch areas of the aquarium, including touch pools, the treehouse and water table, remain closed. Interpretive programs and feeding demonstrations are not available at this time.
The St. Louis County Depot and Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth reopen July 1. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
The Duluth Children’s Museum is reopening July 2 and will feature its new exhibit “Dinosaurs: Land of Fire and Ice.” The museum will be open Thursday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Split Rock Lighthouse will reopen July 15. The lighthouse near Two Harbors, along Lake Superior, will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Advance tickets go on sale July 8.
Check individual websites for more information regarding masks and other COVID-19-related practices.
A family follows the signage and yellow and white lines to Glensheen’s carriage house to purchase tickets for self-guided tours on Thursday afternoon. (Samantha Erkkila / serkkila@duluthnews.com)