National Gallery closes its doors to public until May in response to coronavirus risk

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Zoe Paskett17 March 2020

The National Gallery has announced that it will close its doors from March 19 until May 4 in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Trafalgar Square gallery had previously postponed its upcoming exhibition on Italian artist Artemisia Gentileschi, because of “logistical and organisational reasons”, but will now not admit any visitors.

The Gallery said in a statement that the May 4 reopening would be “dependent on government advice in this rapidly changing situation”.

The statement reads: “We have been open to the public for almost 200 years and welcome visitors 361 days of the year, so we are all upset about this closure, but it is the right thing to do at this time. We look forward to welcoming you back to the Gallery as soon as we can.

“Galleries, museums and their collections are important in these difficult times; they are a source of joy, comfort and inspiration which allow us to reflect on our self and our times. So whilst the Gallery is closed in Trafalgar Square, our collection remains open for everyone to explore on the website.”

Visitors who have already bought tickets for upcoming exhibitions or events will be contacted by the gallery about refunds and exchanges.

The National Gallery joins an ever growing list of arts venues temporarily shutting down because of the pandemic. Tate Modern, Tate Britain, the National Portrait Gallery and Hayward Gallery are among those to have announced closures today. A regularly updated list is available to read here.

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