On Thursday, in the wake of a flurry of event cancellations and museum closings in response to the spreading coronavirus, yet another famous institution was added to the list: the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced around lunchtime that its flagship location on Fifth Avenue, the Met Breuer and the Cloisters will be closed beginning Friday, March 13 in order to contain the spread of the virus. The museums have not yet announced firm dates upon which they can be expected to reopen. Additionally, on the same day, it was announced that effective immediately, the Metropolitan Opera has canceled all performances and rehearsals through March 31. New York Times reporter Michael Cooper also tweeted that Carnegie Hall had been closed.
“While we don’t have any confirmed cases connected to the museum, we believe that we must do all that we can to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our community, which at this time calls for us to minimize gatherings while maintaining the cleanest environment possible,” Daniel Weiss, the president and chief executive of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, said in a statement to the New York Times.
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Throughout this worldwide mess, a lot of people have been wondering whether the Met Gala, the annual fashion and celebrity extravaganza that takes place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, will still be taking place. This year’s event, which revolves around the theme “About Time: Fashion and Duration,” is still a go to commence on the first Monday in May, according to Nancy Chilton, the chief external relations officer of the Met’s Costume Institute. “We are proceeding as planned and look forward to a wonderful evening,” Chilton told The Cut on March 10. “We will of course continue to keep a close eye on the situation,” she added, referring to the coronavirus.
