Philadelphia allows casinos, gyms and museums to reopen while other restrictions remain

PHILADELPHIA - In Philadelphia, historic landmarks in Old City reopened Monday in addition to casinos and gyms, while several museums announced plans to reopen throughout the week.

For the first time in more than a month, small signs of life along the city's Ben Franklin Parkway. 

"We absolutely missed having visitors in our building and are so excited to be able to reopen," CEO of The Franklin Institute Larry Dubinski said.

After being shut down for months in the spring and again in November, the doors will be reopening again this week and hopefully for good.

"The cultural institutions in this town are amazing and they bring not only people from the region but from all over the world that come here and visit. Great science, great are, great performing arts, and we need to get that back," Dubinski added.

Other attractions like The Barnes, the Academy of National History, and the Academy of the Fine Arts will also reopen this week. The same goes for the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Penn Museum.

"We are actually coming back into a new normal so I'm actually looking forward to things opening back up," Aisha Drayton said.

For many cooped up for the last 10 months, the reopenings signal a small glimmer of hope.

"I’m excited. I got my first vaccine last week and things are starting to turn around I think. There is some progress light at the end of the tunnel," Amy Hilstrom said.

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Pennsylvania lifts ban on indoor dining, gyms while most Philadelphia restrictions remain

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