Masks will be required for people inside the Memorial column, regardless of vaccination status.

The Memorial column at Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial will reopen to the public today (Thursday, July 22) at 10 a.m. after an extended closure.

“The staff and volunteers are excited to welcome the public back to the Memorial again,” said Supt. Barbara Rowles. “One of the best ways to gain a better understanding of the significance of the Battle of Lake Erie and experience the Memorial is to see the spectacular views of Lake Erie from the Observation Deck.”

The Memorial will be open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with the last trip to the observation deck at 5:30 p.m.

Masks are required for everyone inside the Memorial column, regardless of vaccination status. Exceptions are for children under 2 years old and those with medical conditions that prevent wearing a mask.

The Memorial closed for tours at the end of the 2019 season. With the emergence of Covid-19, it remained closed through 2020.

The National Park Service (NPS) operational approach to reopening facilities is centered on examining each facility’s function and service to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance and will be regularly monitored. Working closely with the NPS Office of Public Health, the park is using CDC guidance to ensure public areas and workspaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, partners, and volunteers.

Consistent with CDC recommendations, in other areas of the park people who are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear masks indoors and in crowded outdoor spaces where 6-foot physical distancing is not possible.

While the cost of the entrance fee to the Memorial has not changed, there is a change in the method for collecting fees. Starting this year, to reduce the cost of collection, improve security, and increase the amount of funds available to support critical park projects and visitor needs, the park will only accept credit or debit cards for entrance fees and passes.

The entrance fee to the Memorial remains at $10 a person, which can be used for repeat visits for seven days. Children 15 and under are admitted free of charge and must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information and to plan a visit check the park website – nps.gov/pevi – and Facebook pages.