The Met Could Reopen In August, Museum Says

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — The Metropolitan Museum of Art expects to reopen in mid-August or "perhaps a few weeks later," after closing in March in accordance with New York's social distancing mandates to curb the spread of the coronavirus, museum officials announced this week.

A mid-August reopening would follow New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's plan to reopen the state in a number of phases, museum officials said. Social distancing would be encouraged following the reopening by limiting the museum's hours and canceling all tours and events.

“The Met has endured much in its 150 years, and today continues as a beacon of hope for the future. This museum is also a profound reminder of the strength of the human spirit and the power of art to offer comfort, inspiration, and community. As we endure these challenging and uncertain times, we are encouraged by looking forward to the day when we can once again welcome all to enjoy The Met’s collection and exhibitions," Met President Daniel Weiss said in a statement.

The museum's reopening will coincide with the debut of exhibits such as "Making The Met, 1870-2020," and the museum's annual roof garden exhibit "Héctor Zamora, Lattice Detour," museum officials said. This year's Met Gala will be canceled, but the exhibit "About Time: Fashion and Duration" will debut in October.

The Met closed its main Fifth Avenue museum, its Met Breuer location and the Met Cloisters in Washington Heights starting March 13. Museum officials have estimated that the arts institution could lose as much as $100 million because of the coronavirus pandemic.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio this week identified September as a "natural point" to begin reopening the city. The city needs to show two weeks of steady decrease in its three COVID-19 tracking indicators — hospitalizations, intensive care unit patients and percentage of those testing positive — as well as meet seven benchmarks set by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The mayor predicted that the city will meet the benchmarks (which measure hospitalizations, death rates, available beds, testing and tracing) by June.