Visitors 'delighted' as the National Gallery reopens with new social distancing measures

Zoe Paskett10 July 2020

“Delighted” visitors returned to the National Gallery as it reopened its doors today after lockdown.

Strict new social distancing rules have been put in place at the gallery, which has become the first major institution to return as restrictions have been eased.

A queue of people formed outside the London venue this morning waiting to be the first members of the public to be welcomed inside in months.

Artist Christie Smith, 50, who was first in the queue to be let inside, said she was “absolutely delighted” to be able to visit and was confident in the safety measures that have been put in place. “I have been crying out for this for weeks,” she said. “It is really important to me.”

Visitors to the gallery will follow one-way art routes around the venue and all visits, including those to see the main collection for free, must be booked in advance. Two-metre social distancing rules will be in place throughout and visitors are being encouraged to wear face coverings. The gallery has also stepped up its cleaning routine.

Visiting the National Gallery after lockdown

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The exhibition Titian: Love, Desire, Death has resumed after the gallery was forced to close three days into its run.

Tour guide Vania Gay, 61, said she was “so happy and excited” to be able to visit a gallery again. “I just want to sit and enjoy a painting,” she said.

Thalia Reynolds, 66, who is retired, said she was at the gallery the last day it was open before it was forced to shut because of coronavirus. She said she does not have any safety concerns about returning, adding: “They are bigger than supermarkets and on the whole you don’t touch anything.”

The director of the National Gallery Gabriele Finaldi told PA he feels “very proud” that the gallery has been able to become one of the first to reopen: “It is a very happy moment, the return to some sort of normality.” He added that the gallery wants to be part of the country’s “emergence” from lockdown.

“We want to be part of the recovery story,” he said. “I think people are desperate for some good news and some places to go and frankly I think that the arts are very important in people’s wellbeing and so we’re very keen to be part of that recovery process.”

Exhibitions to see right now in London - in pictures

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The Royal Academy Of Arts, Tate Britain, Tate Modern and Whitechapel Gallery are opening this month.

Others to reveal reopening dates include the Ashmolean Museum, Nottingham Contemporary, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, The Whitworth and Manchester Art Gallery, Chisenhale Gallery, The Barbican and Serpentine Galleries.

With additional reporting by Press Association

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