The museum is ready to turn the key and welcome visitors back with new exhibits, as well as health and safety protocols, in place. (photo courtesy of the Petersen Automotive Museum)

The Petersen Automotive Museum will reopen to the public on Thursday, March 25, with new exhibits, new vehicles and new operating hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.

To express gratitude to those serving on the front lines during the pandemic, the museum will offer health care workers and first responders complimentary admission for themselves and up to three immediate family members for the rest of 2021.

The museum will follow health and safety guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state of California and the county of Los Angeles to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Staff members and visitors are required to wear masks. Social distancing of at least 6 feet will be enforced. Entrance and exit signs will mark each exhibit and there will be designated navigation paths for each exhibit. The museum will also increase the frequency of cleaning and offer hand sanitizing stations on each floor. Interactive exhibits, including the Forza racing simulators and Discovery Center, will remain closed.

“We are excited to welcome visitors back to the museum in a safe and responsible manner,” Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director Terry L. Karges said. “We cannot thank the health care personnel and first responders enough for everything they have done for our community. We hope this small token of our appreciation signals how grateful we are to them and their families.”

During the closure, the Petersen virtually launched three exhibits including “Supercars: A Century of Spectacle and Speed,” which showcases the evolution of the supercar; “Extreme Conditions,” which highlights 11 custom competition, recreational and utilitarian off-roading vehicles; and “Redefining Performance,” which features Porsche’s most innovative road and race vehicles. Other exhibits currently on display include “Hollywood Dream Machines: Vehicles of Science Fiction and Fantasy,” “Reclaimed Rust: The James Hetfield Collection” and “Building an Electric Future” presented by Volkswagen.

All tickets must be pre-purchased. To receive complimentary access, health care personnel and first responders must reserve tickets online and provide a physical copy of professional verification at museum check-in.

The Petersen Automotive Museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd. For information and reservations, call (323)930-CARS, or visit petersen.org.