Schools in Michigan and other states have shut down completely for weeks as citizens in the United States begin to take extreme measures to prevent the widespread outbreak of coronavirus in the country.
And, while most states have already cancelled large public gatherings, national institutions are beginning to follow suit. Last month, the Louvre closed before reopening and then closing again. And, it’s affecting the tourism industry in a big way.
If you still plan to travel, you might find that even if you can reach your destination, the attractions you can visit while there aren’t open. Here are seven museums that have closed due to coronavirus concerns.
Museums Closed Due To Coronavirus
1. The Louvre
After previously closing and reopening, French officials released a statement today regarding the closure of both The Louvre and Versailles Palace. Beginning today, both popular tourist attractions will be closed “until further notice.” Other museums such as the Musée d’Orsay are expected to close today as well.
Image: Louvre Museum
2. Smithsonian Museums
Today, the Smithsonian announced that “As a public health precaution due to COVID-19, all Smithsonian museums in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and in New York City, including the National Zoo, will temporarily close to the public starting Saturday, March 14th.
3. Vatican Museums
With Italy nearly entirely on lockdown, it comes as no surprise that the government has closed all churches and even St. Peter’s Square. However, even The Vatican Museums will be closed until April 3rd to help prevent the further spread of the coronavirus in the country.
4. Irish Museum of Modern Art
The Dublin museum released a statement saying that “to protect the health and safety of our visitors and staff, IMMA will be closed to the public from 5:30 pm, Thursday 12 March until Sunday 29 March 2020 inclusive.” All other major museums in the city of Dublin appear to have closed their doors on Friday as well.
5. The Broad
Following suit after other California museum closures, The Broad is temporarily closed to the public from until at least March 31 to support efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The Getty Center and Villa in Los Angeles are also both closed. There is currently no word on closures for LACMA.
6. Museum of Modern Art
New York City’s MoMA is closed until March 30 currently. The museum received nearly 3 million visitors a year and the closure recently underwent a whopping $450 million renovation. Officials have also closed The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC as well. New York City is one of the cities that’s been most affected by the virus on the East Coast.
7. Van Gogh Museum
The famous Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is home to200 paintings, 500 drawings and 800 letters by the famous Dutch artist. And, due to coronavirus concerns, guess won’t be able to marvel at the work until March 31 at the earliest. The Netherlands has currently reported 614 cases and five deaths.
