Almost from the day that plans were announced for a new museum in the heart of downtown Roanoke, people have wondered where visitors were going to park.

The answer, apparently, is anywhere they can.

Special arrangements are being made for opening day, when large crowds are expected. A bus will ferry visitors from the Roanoke Civic Center’s Lot C to the museum entrance at Salem Avenue and Williamson Road, and back again. The buses will run every 30 minutes from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

After opening day, however, it’s the streets and existing parking lots.
“We will list suggested parking locations on our Web site,” by the end of the October, said Kimberly Templeton, the museum’s external affairs director. (The address is taubmanmuseum.org.)

“People will either need to look at the Web site or follow the city parking signs.” A map with public parking lots designated is available at Downtown Roanoke
Among the closest options are the Wachovia Tower and Center in the Square’s parking garage.

There may be spaces available in a parking lot located on the other side of the Williamson Road bridge across from the museum entrance, Templeton said, though museum staffers will be using it as well.

Another option is on-street parking, provided visitors can find a space. The prime museum parking location appears to be 14 new parking spaces, including handicapped spaces, created by the city on the Norfolk Avenue side of the museum. Cars may park in those spaces for two hours. Norfolk, alas, will be closed on opening day, city officials said.

In times of inclement weather, Templeton noted, “people can certainly be dropped off at the door.”