During 2021, school visitors to the National Portrait Gallery are welcome, but the experience will be a little different than in the past. Capacity and access to exhibition displays will be limited to ensure the safety of all visitors and staff onsite.
The following information includes risk assessment and mitigation strategies specifically for school visits during 2021, effective from 1 January to 24 December 2021.
This document should be read along with the Risk Assessment for groups of students visiting the National Portrait Gallery.
The environment:
- COVID19 Conditions of Entry are available online.
- Our guidelines have been developed in line with ACT Government’s COVID-19 Easing of Restrictions Roadmap
- School groups will be met outside the Gallery in the forecourt.Staff will request assurance from teachers that no teacher or student is unwell. If anyone is unwell we ask that they do not enter the building.
- Educators will guide groups so that they are kept separate from the general public as much as possible
- Gallery staff will maintain their distance from students and actively encourage students to maintain appropriate distance from them
- Student numbers are limited to 30 students per session, in two groups of 15
- Maximum time spent in the Gallery will be one hour
- COVID-19 safe signage is prominently displayed
- Hand sanitiser will be available and groups will be requested to clean their hands at the beginning and end of the tour
- Transit of school groups through galleries will be managed
- There will be active social distancing management of school groups by Education staff
- Should contact tracing be necessary this will be done via the information supplied in the school booking
- A frequent cleaning regime of surfaces and spaces is in place
- All resources used within a program are cleaned after each group.
The program:
- An engaging 60 minute curriculum linked program facilitated by Learning and Access staff
- Priority given to school groups in one Gallery area
- Free online programs offered as an alternative to an on-site visit. Contact bookings@npg.gov.au
- Self-guiding groups will not have access in 2021
Our staff:
- Access and Learning staff at the National Portrait Gallery have undertaken training regarding space management and visitor access