Yale University Art Gallery inviting public back after months-long closure due to the coronavirus pandemic
Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven will reopen again starting on May 14, after a second monthslong closure as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The museum reopened Sept. 25, 2020. It and its sister museum, Yale Center for British Art, held out longer on reopening than any other state museums. They both closed again on Oct. 16, citing strict university protocols. Yale Center for British Art plans to reopen June 4.
“This has been a challenging year for so many of us, and now, more than ever, museums can offer a respite, whether by fostering a sense of discovery and creativity or just by serving as a place to come together,” museum Director Stephanie Wiles said in a Monday news release.
“During the closure, we were overwhelmed by the number of people who shared how much they missed being in the permanent-collection galleries. We are thrilled to be able to invite our visitors back,” Wiles said.
On April 29, the university’s COVID-10 coordinator, Stephanie S. Spangler, announced that the campus had changed its COVID-19 alert level from orange — reflecting a moderate risk of viral transmission — to yellow, which reflects a low to moderate risk. It had been on orange alert for more than five months.
The Art Gallery will be open on Fridays from 3 to 7 p.m. and on weekends from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free. Timed tickets can be reserved at artgallery.yale.edu. A limited number of walk-up tickets will be available daily, first-come, first-served. Visitors must wear face masks and practice social distancing.
Visitors to the Art Gallery will be able to see exhibits from the permanent collection, including the newly reinstalled collection of African and modern European art, as well as six works by Franz Kline and Mark Rothko which were given to the museum in February.
Susan Dunne can be reached at sdunne@courant.com.
