As more information about the COVID-19 outbreak has been released, universities, sports arenas, and concert venues have all closed their doors to the public. Many museums in the Mid-Atlantic region have also followed suit.
The Smithsonian Institution announced that all nineteen of its museums, including the National Zoo and the two Smithsonian institutions in New York City, will close starting March 14. The Smithsonian did not announce a reopening date, but will be posting weekly updates on its operations. Other DC attractions that will be closed include Arlington National Cemetery, the National Gallery of Art, and the Conservatory of the US Botanical Garden. Public tours of the US Capitol and the White House will be limited or suspended until April 1.
Many of New York’s cultural institutions will be closing. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Brooklyn Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the New Museum, and the Jewish Museum are among those that will be temporarily closed. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s ban on gatherings of over 500 people has effectively cancelled many public programs and performances.
In Baltimore many museums are remaining open. The Baltimore Museum of Art, the Walters Art Museum, and The John Hopkins University museums will not close, but have cancelled all large public events until April 12. The Reginald F. Lewis Museum announced that it will be closed to the public.
Similarly, few institutions in Philadelphia have decided to close entirely. The Mutter Museum of the College of Physicians, which is currently running a new exhibit on the 1918-1919 influenza, will be closed through the end of March. Penn’s Institute of Contemporary Art and the Woodmere Art Museum will also close. The Philadelphia Art Museum, the Library Company of Philadelphia, and the Science History Institute have all cancelled or postponed some upcoming public events.
These closures are all a part of the public health effort to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. The Center for Disease Control’s recommendation that individuals practice social distancing– staying out of congregate settings and mass gatherings- to reduce their risk of infection has likely prompted some of these closures. While a critical public health step, museum closures may have a negative impact on unsalaried, hourly workers who may lose out on wages while their places of work are closed. The economic impact of the outbreak has prompted activists in Philadelphia and elsewhere to call for greater protections for at-risk workers.