The Metropolitan Museum of Art will reopen August 29

July 16, 2020

The Metropolitan Museum of Art will reopen to the public on August 29, as part of the city’s phase four of reopening. The museum closed all three of its locations in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Met’s Fifth Avenue building will open its doors five days a week, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. While The Cloisters is expected to open in September, museum officials last month announced that the Met Breuer will not reopen at all, with the building instead serving as the temporary home of the Frick Collection.

Like all city cultural institutions, when the Met reopens there will be major changes made to meet social distance and public health guidelines. Measures include limiting the number of visitors to 25 percent of the museum’s maximum capacity, enhancing cleaning procedures, and requiring face coverings for visitors and staff at all times.

Printed materials and audio guide devices will not be available, but a digital map, guide, and brochures can be downloaded in advance. There will also be markers for visitors to follow to maintain physical distance from others and hand sanitizing stations throughout the museum. See the complete safety guidelines for visitors here.

“The safety of our staff and visitors remains our greatest concern. We are eager to reopen and expect this will be possible next month,” Daniel Weiss, president and CEO of The Met, said. “Perhaps now more than ever the Museum can serve as a reminder of the power of the human spirit and the capacity of art to bring comfort, inspire resilience, and help us better understand each other and the world around us.”

All tours, concerts, and events have been canceled at The Met for the rest of the year. Activities are expected to resume in 2021, along with a delayed celebration of its 150th anniversary.

Three new exhibitions will kick off with the museum’s reopening including Making the Met, 1870-2020, The Roof Garden Commission: Héctor Zamora, Lattice Detour, and Jacob Lawrence: The American Struggle.

At the beginning of the health crisis, Met officials estimated a total shortfall of close to $100 million; that loss in revenue was projected based on a July reopening. As Gothamist reported, the museum has laid off 81 staff members so far.

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Editor’s note 7/16/20: This post was originally published on May 21, 2020, but has been updated to reflect the Met’s reopening date.