The Whitney Museum of American Art
New York City museums have been slow to line up since the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced a target reopening date of 29 August in July. But after a go-ahead from New York State’s governor, the Whitney Museum of American Art said today that it would open its doors to the public on 3 September.
The museum’s announcement came shortly after Governor Andrew Cuomo told reporters in a conference call that New York City’s museums, aquariums and other “low risk” cultural institutions could reopen on 24 August. The Whitney, the Met and other museums in the city closed in mid-March in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Other museums in New York are expected to quickly detail their reopening plans after months in which their revenue languished due to the closures. Under the new state guidelines, they must observe a 25% occupancy limit, require face coverings and social distancing, and institute timed ticketing with staggered entry.
The Whitney said it would be open on Monday and Thursday from 11:30 am to 6 pm, on Friday from 1:30 to 9pm, and on Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 6 pm. (The Met, welcoming Cuomo’s announcement, says it will open its Cloisters satellite on 12 September following the previously announced reopening of its flagship on Fifth Avenue on 29 August.)
The Whitney said it would offer “pay what you wish” admission fees, as opposed to its usual maximum charge of $25, extending from its reopening through 28 September. Several exhibitions that were interrupted by its closure will resume, among them Vida Americana: Mexican Muralists Remake American Art, 1925–1945 and Cauleen Smith: Mutualities, which have been extended through 31 January.
Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist has been extended to 1 November. In addition, the Whitney will present Collective Actions: Artist Interventions in a Time of Change, starting on 17 September, which will highlight the role of artists in social and political change while showcasing, posters, prints and other items created in response to the Black Lives Matter protests and the coronavirus outbreak, the museum says.
All public and education programs at the Whitney, including guided tours and school visits, are cancelled through the end of 2020 because of concerns related to the pandemic, the museum adds.
