CALIFORNIA— As California has entered Phase 2 of their COVID-19 response plan, museums were given the green light to open. While the Peterson Automotive Museum, the Aquarium of the Pacific, and more are reopening, others are holding off due to phased reopenings or concerns over COVID-19.
The Underground Museum issued a statement in response to the LA County’s entrance of phase three critiquing the “minimal guidelines and zero financial support, leaving small non-profits like ours to best guess how to keep our staff and our visitors safe.” Instead, the Underground Museum is, “prioritizing the care of our community over calls to restart our economy. … Please stay safe, and if you can, stay home.”
The Petersen Automotive Museum reopened Friday, June 20 with health precaution; online tickets are required for capacity, masks must be worn at all times, six feet of space from others must be in place, and interactive exhibits are closed.
Huntington Botanical Gardens opened for members on Wednesday, June 17, and for the public on July 1. Huntington Gardens is enforcing similar health guidelines to the Petersen, as the LA County order requires. The indoor galleries for the Huntington Library and Art Museum will open later in September.
The Aquarium of the Pacific opened on June 14 with advanced ticket requirements, facemask and social distancing orders, and many other measures for safety. The Laguna art Museum started a phased reopening on June 12.
The American Alliance of Museums has estimated at the height of closures across the country, museums were losing an average of $33 million. In late April, the AAM released a statement entitled, “How to Get Ready to Open the Doors” detailing the health precautions that many museums are now using for a phased reopening.
The following is a list of museums with announced reopening dates across California
July 6: LA Plaza de Cultural de Artes, L.A
July 7: Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
July 8: Museum of Latin American Art opens for members
July 15: Museum of Latin American Art opens to the public
July 16: Orange County Museum of Art, Santa Ana
August 17: USC Pacific Asia Museum and USC Fisher Museum of Art
The following museums have announced openings this summer, but not specific dates:
California Science Center
San Diego Museum of Art
Craft Contemporary
The Broad
Asian Art Museum
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
La Brea Tar Pits Museum
The following will be opening towards the end of summer and fall:
Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena
Getty Museum (Getty Center in Brentwood and Getty Villa in Malibu)
Hammer Museum
Fowler Museum
Palm Springs Art Museum
