The main Spanish museums located in Madrid, among which the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen stand out, do not plan to open their doors until next June, despite the fact that the relief measures in Phase 0 in The one that will remain in Madrid foresees the opening of museums with a maximum capacity of one third and that libraries can resume loans.
The Prado National Museum hopes to open its doors to the public in “early June,” as sources at the institution have pointed out. As they clarify, this provision will be fulfilled when there are “all guarantees”, since until there is security for the workers and visitors “it will not be opened.”
For its part, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS) has indicated that the reopening to the public will take place “throughout the first fortnight of June” and, at the moment, it is working on security and signaling measures. , and waiting to reach a consensus on all aspects with the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
In the case of the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, the museum’s managing director, Evelio Acevedo, recently stated that the Thyssen’s “wish” was to open the center to visitors on June 1, a date that has already become “foresight” , although everything conditioned to the development of events, as they need from the museum.
Along these lines, the National Library of Spain (BNE) will not open on May 18 either and will wait “at least” two weeks, as sources from the institution have indicated, which will continue to promote “teleworking”.
Despite this decision, the Government, in the Health order regulating phase 1 of the de-escalation that in the National Library, could already allow in this phase 1 the consultation of publications excluded from home loans with reduced capacity and only in the cases in which it was considered necessary. According to the text, the works would be requested by users and provided by the library staff and, once consulted, they would be deposited in a separate place and separated from each other for at least fourteen days. In any case, the collections in free access will remain closed to the public.
MNAC, mid-June
The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) maintains the plan to open “in mid-June” and will do so “in coordination” with the museums of the Articket multi-entry system in Barcelona, to which the National Museum, the Fundació Joan also belongs. Miró, the Picasso Museum, the Macba, the CCCB and the Fundació Antoni Tàpies.
As established by the ministerial order that explains the reopening conditions of the museums in Phase 1, the rooms can have a 30 percent capacity, maintaining a safety distance of two meters and with the tactile elements for the visitor disabled, no audio guides or brochures.
State museums in Spain
The General Fine Arts Directorate, under the Ministry of Culture and Sports, has prolonged until Monday, May 25, the closure of its state museums and archives, as well as the Tabacalera Center, as a result of the situation by Covid-19.
As stated in this resolution, dated May 10, to which Europa Press has had access, the “extension of the temporary suspension of opening to the public” of the institutions dependent on the General Directorate throughout the State is agreed , which affects a total of 16 state museums.
Specifically, in addition to the Tobacco Center, this resolution refers to the National Archaeological Museum, the National Museum and the Altamira Research Center; the National Museum of Underwater Archeology (ARQUAE), the Costume Museum, the National Museum of Decorative Arts, the National Museum of Ceramics and Sumptuary Arts “González Martí”, the National Museum of Sculpture, the Museo del Greco, the Casa de Cervantes, the National Museum of Roman Art, the Sephardic Museum, the Sorolla Museum, the National Museum of Anthropology, the Cerralbo Museum, the National Museum of Romanticism and the Museum of America.
As this resolution indicates, the extension of the closure will begin “from May 11, 2020 and may be extended, modified or raised earlier, depending on the evolution of the situation and the recommendations and measures of the authorities sanitary “.
As argued by the General Directorate of Fine Arts, this indication is due to the measures promoted by the health authorities as a consequence of the coronavirus “for institutions that, such as the State Museums and Archives and the Tobacco Center, have a large number of citizens who use them daily its facilities with a high concentration of people in the same space “.
Museums in phase 1
However, the Order of the Ministry of Health that sets the different phases of the de-escalation in the coronavirus crisis establishes that museums can open their doors to the public in Phase 1, in which territories such as Cantabria are already found, where they are the Altamira Museum; Extremadura, with the National Museum of Roman Art; or the Murcia region, where the ARQUAE is located. In addition, the relief measures for phase 0, in which Madrid is located, also foresees the opening of museums with a capacity of one third.
However, sources from the Ministry of Culture and Sports have told Europa Press that these 16 museums are “preparing to reopen, stockpiling materials and arranging everything to open, when possible, with all the guarantees for safety in the visit of the public “, and they have pointed out that they are working so that the three museums that are in territories in Phase 1 (Cantabria, Extremadura and Cartagena) can open” as soon as possible “.
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