Worcester EcoTarium Closing Due To Financial Fallout Of Pandemic

WORCESTER, MA — The Worcester EcoTarium will cut staff and close down for a long period beginning on Sept. 4, the museum announced Friday. The closure is due to financial uncertainty created by the coronavirus pandemic.

The museum will cut 24 staff members and remain closed through the fall and winter. The museum plans to reopen in 2021. About 13 staff members will remain at the museum during the closure to take care of the remaining animals.

"These changes, while difficult, put us in the strongest financial position as we plan for our reopening in 2021," CEO Lucy Hale said in a statement Friday. "We look forward to remaining a strong, robust part of the Worcester community."

The EcoTarium closed in March as the pandemic began to hit the Worcester area. The museum reopened in early July in a more limited capacity.

Some animals living at the EcoTarium will be moved to other facilities, Hale said.