The Saranac Laboratory Museum is located at 89 Church St., Saranac Lake. (Provided photo — Historic Saranac Lake)

SARANAC LAKE — Historic Saranac Lake’s Saranac Laboratory Museum is open to the public, operating under limited hours and following strict guidelines to keep patrons, staff and volunteers healthy.

Located in the first laboratory in the nation built for the study of tuberculosis, the museum interprets Saranac Lake’s history as a community that built a thriving economy in response to infectious disease.

The museum is currently open Thursdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to check historicsaranaclake.org for updates.

“Our team is excited to welcome back locals and tourists to the museum to learn about Saranac Lake’s rich history and, perhaps now more than ever, use our past to put current events into perspective,” said Amy Catania, HSL’s executive director. “We are prioritizing the safety of visitors by requiring anyone over the age of 2 who is medically able to wear a face mask at all times while in the building. Staff will be wearing masks as well, and plexiglass barriers are in place at our ticket desk. We also ask visitors to move in one direction through the museum and maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from other groups.”

As an additional safety precaution, HSL has reduced visitor capacity and is only allowing two groups in the museum at a time. Patrons are encouraged to go online and reserve a time to tour the Saranac Laboratory; these reservations are recommended but not required. Parties that do not book a time in advance may be asked to wait if another group is in the museum. To make a reservation, visit bit.ly/bookHSL.

The museum’s screening room is currently closed, but all videos are available to stream on phones and devices, whether you’re at the museum or home. Audio tour stops are available online as well, either to listen to in person at the museum or at home. A virtual version of HSL’s Art of the Cure exhibit is also available.

“We’ve added a large number of virtual resources to our website, including the Letters from the Porch series, Wednesday mini-tours, oral history interview tips, an online version of our downtown walking tour and much more,” said Chessie Monks-Kelly, HSL museum administrator.

The gift shop is also closed until further notice but can be viewed online. Items can be selected for in-person pickup, or shoppers can select a code to receive free shipping to their home.