Brookyln Children’s Museum Denies Lingering Bed Bug Problem
- Chuck Choi / New York Times
Earlier this week the Daily News spoke with disgruntled (and bitten) employees of the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, who claim the Crown Heights staple inadequately dealt with a hushed-up recent bed bug outbreak, playing into the deepest, darkest fears of every parent in Brooklyn.
The Children’s Museum has now responded with a resounding “nah, it’s cool guys.” To help you take sides immediately, we present evidence from both sides.
The Daily News reports that the museum was initially visited by an exterminator on August 16th after bugs were found in an office, then again on August 20th, when the insects were found in two more locations, including the Totally Tots section for kids under 4. Employees were notified but the museum never closed, and one staffer actually quit for fear of infesting her own house.
“It’s a play space — it should be sanitized like a hospital,” complained one anonymous employee.
The museum is scheduled to undergo further fumigation when it closes for an annual cleaning between September 10th and 21st, and officials say they’ve followed Health Department regulations, including treating the space with EPA-endorsed chemicals that pose no harm to children.
In a statement released yesterday, the Children’s Museum insisted things are under control:
“The Brooklyn Children’s Museum is committed to the safety of our visitors and our staff. In response to this incident we have had a certified extermination firm inspect our facility on several occasions over the past two weeks […] We affirm that the museum does not have bed bugs and is safe for visitors — and we will be open this weekend for all scheduled events.”
It’s your call who to believe here, but choose wisely: the only thing more horrifying than simply getting bed bugs is your kid and all their friends getting them. Happy Labor Day, guys! If you feel like spending it shaking in a corner, scratching phantom bites, no judgment here.
Follow Virginia K. Smith on Twitter @vksmith.
