Although coronavirus restrictions are far from over, some museums, galleries and institutions in Europe have begun to announce their reopening dates for May under the condition of following the safety guidelines of each country, and above all, conserving the distance between people.

Galleries and small museums in France will reopen on May 11

On April 30, Prime Minister Édouard Phillipe announced his plans to begin lifting coronavirus-related restrictions. Among the establishments that will be able to resume their activities are galleries and small museums, and although the reopening dates vary according to each region of the country, the earliest reactivation date is scheduled for May 10. Although it could be considered that France is taking another step towards normality, the prime minister stressed that they will only be able to resume their activities under the rule of only allowing a maximum of 10 people per establishment.

That said, “large-size” museums like the Louvre will remain closed until June 2nd.

Italy and Belgium announce reopenings for mid-May

The Prime Minister of Italy, Giuseppe Conte, has announced that as of May 18, bookstores, cafes, museums and other cultural sites will be allowed to open. However, Conte has insisted that, although free movement will be allowed, he invited the population to maintain “responsible behavior” to prevent the case curve from rising again. Otherwise, there could be “irreversible damage” to the country's economy. “If you love Italy, keep your distance,” the prime minister insisted.

Meanwhile, in Belgium, the Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp (MHKA) has announced that it will restart work on May 19 with the commitment to follow the instructions of the Belgian National Security Council. In addition to the MHKA, the 6 museums that make up the Brussels Royal Fine Arts Museums chain have announced that they will also be opening this May.

For its part, Germany began the reopening of galleries and other cultural centers since mid-April. It is expected that in the following weeks museums, zoos, parks and gardens will resume their activities with the condition of guaranteeing a healthy distance between attendees, and with multiple hygiene measures, including the constant use of antibacterial gel and face masks.

China opens the “Forbidden City” under strict measures

On May 1st, the famous “Forbidden City,” the former home of emperors in Beijing, resumed work after several months of being closed. However, in an attitude of extreme caution, this famous historic complex is only allowing 30% of its total capacity, that is, they are only allowing 5,000 visitors a day compared to the 80,000 it regularly received. In addition to this, all group activities remain suspended, and visitors have their temperature monitored upon entry.

With information from Artsy and Reuters