The Great Lawn inside the San Francisco Botanical Garden. | Photo: Stan Shebs/Wikipedia
Next Monday, June 1 the San Francisco Botanical Garden will begin the first phase of a gradual, limited reopening, opening daily for visitors but with strict density limitations and safety protocols, a statement announced today.
This phase, permitted by a recent city policy that also affects "outdoor museums" and "public gardens," allows the Botanical Garden to open its doors for the first time since it shuttered in mid-March as part of the city's sweeping shelter-in-place order.
"Public gardens such as San Francisco Botanical Garden are indispensable to community healing," the garden's statement said, "offering much-needed places for respite and connection with nature."
This initial phase of opening will allow the garden to welcome up to a quarter of its normal capacity at a time, and will require patrons to use masks and practice distancing.
The only entrance available will be the main gate, near the Hall of Flowers. "The Helen Crocker Russel Library of Horticulture, Garden Bookstore, Plant Arbor, and Children’s Garden will remain closed," according to the statement issued today.
In addition, according to city rules for public gardens, shared contact surfaces like picnic tables will be off limits, and retail operations will be limited to a "curbside only" basis.
The gradual reopening won't be enough to offset the financial impact of 10 weeks of closure, which amounts to an estimated $1M loss.
To help fund reopening efforts, the garden, which is largely supported by donors and its periodic plant sales, is asking for donations to help foot the bill for operations.
The newly-eased restrictions from the city also apply to the Japanese Tea Garden, which for now remains closed until further notice.
San Francisco Botanical Garden will resume its regular spring hours, open daily from 7:30 a.m. - 7 p.m., with last entry at 6 p.m.
Advance tickets are available, and encouraged to help reduce person-to-person contact time. Entry to the botanical gardens remains free of charge for San Francisco residents, and for non-residents from 7:30 a.m. - 9 a.m.