The Henry Ford announces reopening and new dates for delayed Marvel exhibit

Thanos, you're canceled.

Despite his best finger-snapping efforts — and, well, the villainous and ever-surreal coronavirus pandemic — the Henry Ford's massive Marvel legacy exhibit will finally make its Midwest debut next month.

Originally scheduled to open on March 28, just two weeks after the state was practically shut down due to you-know-who, Marvel: Universe of Super-Heroes will soar through the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn starting on July 16 and will run through January 31, 2021.

The exhibit is the first of its kind and spans Marvel Comics' 80-year legacy with more than 300 artifacts ranging from early comic books and rare illustrations to concept art, as well as beloved props and costumes from Marvel's decade of box office domination.

The exhibit will be a major test of the museum's multiphase reopening strategy, which will start with a member preview weekend July 2-5, before reopening to nonmembers on July 9. The first phase will include the Henry Ford and Greenfield Village, though the hours will be limited to Thursday-Sunday.

According to Henry Ford's website, the museum has adopted a “mask-on, mask-off” policy, which requires masks to be worn upon entry but can be removed so as long as guests practice social distancing unless an exhibit explicitly states otherwise.

And don't expect to sit in the same bus seat as Rosa Parks, one of the museum's most notable interactive artifacts. Instead, a presenter will be on-site to detail Parks' history. Many of the hands-on activities and exhibits may be altered to accommodate new safety protocols and, in some cases, they may be made temporarily unavailable altogether.

These safety measures may also impact the Marvel exhibit, though no details have been revealed as to what extent. The exhibit was set to feature several interactive installations like Tony Stark's test lab, where visitors can challenge Iron Man's iconic armor or take a trip through Doctor Strange's trippy mirror dimension, as well as selfie opportunities with life-size characters Black Panther and Spider-Man. While these items may still be on display, a museum spokesperson says they will announce specifics pertaining to the Marvel showcase in the coming weeks.

Visitors can digitally reserve or purchase non-Marvel timed-entry tickets online starting June 22. Reservations for the Marvel exhibit will be available online starting July 8.

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