The 62,000 square foot Cook Museum offers an interactive immersion into North American Biomes, from deserts to oceans, to arctic tundra to hardwood forests. Each exhibit is a part of a narrative explaining how the natural world works. Key features of the new Museum include: Educational programs, live animals & aquariums, mounted wildlife from across North America, collections of rocks minerals, fossils, shells & coral, native plant landscaping, café with outdoor patio, three classrooms, theater, and museum store. COVID-19 Information: The Cook Museum of Natural Science reopened to the general public on Wednesday, July 8, 2020. This was preceded by two Member-Only Days on July 6-7. To ensure the safety of the Museum’s visitors and staff: The Museum will continue to use timed-entry ticketing, but with a lower capacity limit and additional queue lines. Employees will be wearing face masks and practicing social distancing. Per the City of Decatur ordinance, the wearing of face masks and practicing social distancing is required (with some specific exceptions) for visitors to the Museum. The number of hand sanitizing stations throughout the Museum have been increased. Additional staff will be performing increased cleaning and sanitizing of high-touch area throughout the Museum. Temporarily, a number of the hands-on interactives in the Exhibits have been functionally modified to decrease the need to touch, with a limited number taken offline. “We are thrilled to be back in the business of engaging, exciting, and educating our visitors. The phased reopening, beginning with Nature’s Table and The Museum Store and culminating with our Exhibits now, provided the best opportunity for us to provide the public with an experience that is both safe and amazing,” said Executive Director Scott Mayo. “The Museum was hard at work during the closure preparing new elements to some of the Exhibits, educational opportunities, and programming. It is now time to share those enhancements!” Starting July 8, the hours of operation for all areas of the Museum, including the Exhibits, will be Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Saturday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and Sunday Noon to 5:00 pm.