News Release

Cumberland Island National Seashore: Restoring access to mainland museum

Date: October 22, 2020
Contact: Jill Hamilton-Anderson, 912 882 4336 x257

(St. Marys, GA) – Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Cumberland Island National Seashore is providing access to its mainland museum. The National Park Service (NPS) is working servicewide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis. 

Beginning Sunday, October 25, 2020, Cumberland Island National Seashore will restore access to its Mainland Museum located on Osborne Street, St. Marys, GA under its normal operating hours of Sunday through Saturday, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. There will be a capacity limit of 10-people in the museum at one time, first come, first served with no reservations. 

In addition, the following spaces continue to be available:    

• Ferry service at 2/3 capacity; (concession operation requires all passengers wear face coverings at all times aboard the ferry because 6-foot of distance is difficult to maintain during sailing; see www.cumberlandislandferry.com for more information.)
• Bicycle and cart rentals; (concession operation) 
• Mainland Visitor Center with capacity limits; 
• Mainland Visitor Center restrooms; 
• Sea Camp Ranger Station with capacity limits;  
• Ice House Museum with capacity limits; 
• Limited public programming at Sea Camp Ranger Station with capacity limits;  
• Commercial Use Authorizations with appropriate mitigation; 
• Special Use Permits as appropriate to phase of re-opening. 
• Camping at full capacity at Sea Camp, including group sites, Stafford Beach, and all three wilderness areas- Hickory Hill, Yankee Paradise, and Brick Hill Bluff. 

With public health in mind, the following facilities remain closed: 

• Lands and Legacies Tours; (concession operation) 
• Plum Orchard Mansion historic home tours; 
• On-site and/or in-classroom education programming. 

 

“The opening of the mainland museum will give our gateway community of St. Marys another option to offer visitors and provide an opportunity for them to learn about the rich cultural and natural history of Cumberland Island,” said Superintendent Gary Ingram. 

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners continues to be paramount. At Cumberland Island National Seashore, our operational approach continues to be centered on examining each facility function and service to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance and are regularly monitored. We continue to work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public areas and workspaces are safe and clean.  

A safe and enjoyable park experience begins at home. The NPS encourages visitors to plan their visit by checking the park’s website and social media for current conditions and travel tips. The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We ask the public to be our partner in recreating responsibly, by following CDC and state and local guidance, social distancing, and wearing a face covering when social distance cannot be maintained.  

We ask visitors to be our partner in adopting social distancing practices, follow the 10 Essentials for a safe visit, and if you are sick, stay home. We encourage visitors to pack essential items like water, face coverings and hand sanitizer.  Check the park’s website and social media platform, for updates as operations are changing regularly, https://www.nps.gov/cuis/planyourvisit/be-ready.htm. 

Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted on our website https://www.nps.gov/cuis/index.htmand social media page https://www.facebook.com/CumberlandIslandNPS/.Updates about NPS operations will be posted www.nps.gov/coronavirus.  

www.nps.gov

 

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 421 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.