USS Constitution To Reopen For Tours In August

BOSTON (CBS) -- "Old Ironsides" will start welcoming visitors again next month, a spokesman for the warship announced Friday.

The U.S.S. Constitution is scheduled to reopen for free public visits on Aug. 7 and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

All guests will be required to wear a face covering, and groups will be limited to 25 people or fewer to promote social distancing.

Visits will last approximately 30 minutes, and the ship's crew will clean and sanitize surfaces and handrails between visitor groups.

The warship closed to the public in March because of the pandemic.

No sailors on the ship's crew have tested positive for COVID-19.

The U.S.S Constitution is the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat, and played a crucial role in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812, actively defending sea lanes from 1797 until 1855.

(© Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)