Belle Grove Plantation to begin gradual reopening June 11-25, 2020

Belle Grove Plantation will begin a gradual reopening on Thursday, June 11, 2020 after adhering to Commonwealth of Virginia’s Executive Orders that closed museums and other businesses due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

In the initial two weeks of reopening, Belle Grove’s grounds and Beverley B. Shoemaker Welcome Center (which includes the Museum Shop, exhibits, and restrooms) will be open Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. Belle Grove will be closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Admission to the grounds and Welcome Center will be free of charge June 11-25.

Docents and staff will be available outdoors to interact with visitors and offer 30-minute programs on various aspects of Belle Grove’s history at 10:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. (schedule may be found at www.bellegrove.org). Belle Grove has picnic tables arranged at safe physical distance. There are self-guided brochures of the grounds and outdoor signage that interpret the property. No pets are permitted on the grounds.

The Commonwealth of Virginia’s Executive Order 65 limits the number of guests on the property to 50. In order to implement six feet of physical distance between customers, only 10 guests will be permitted in the Welcome Center at a time. They are asked to follow a one-way pattern through the Museum Shop and safe distance from other patrons while shopping and looking at exhibits. Guests are required to wear masks over their nose and mouth indoors (per Executive Order 63). Personnel in the Welcome Center will also be wearing masks and the point-of-sale station is behind a plexiglass screen. A hand-sanitizer station is available for guests upon entering the building and Belle Grove will be following extra cleaning protocols.

“We are delighted to welcome visitors back to Belle Grove,” said Executive Director. “We have all been living through extraordinary moments in our nation’s history these past months and we are pleased to offer a place for reflection, conversation, and education.”

Belle Grove is closely monitoring guidance from health and government officials, but at this time, anticipates resuming Manor House tours on Friday, June 26. Tours will be limited to 10 guests and will be modified to accommodate physical distancing. The tour lasts one hour and will be offered every hour at :15 minutes past each hour. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, the first tour begins at 10:15 a.m. and the last tour begins at 3:15 p.m. On Sundays, the first tour begins at 1:15 p.m. and the last tour begins at 4:15 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for students, with $1 off for seniors, military, and AAA members. Belle Grove members receive complimentary admission and National Trust for Historic Preservation members have admission of $6.

Guests are encourage to check www.bellegrove.org or call 540-869-2028 for updates before planning a visit. The website also lists the status of special events scheduled for this summer at Belle Grove.

The Board of Directors and staff of Belle Grove Plantation are grateful for the ongoing support of its donors and members during this challenging time. In addition, they thank the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation for funding through its Historic Sites Emergency Grant Fund and Virginia Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act Humanities Relief Grant Program.

About Belle Grove
Belle Grove Plantation is located off Route 11 at 336 Belle Grove Road just south of Middletown, Virginia 22645 and is conveniently located to I-81 (use exit 302) and I-66. Belle Grove Plantation is a non-profit historic house museum that is a National Trust for Historic Preservation historic site (www.savingplaces.org). Belle Grove is also one of the partners in Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park (www.nps.gov/cebe).