Montclair Art Museum Announces Coronavirus Reopen Plans

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The Montclair Art Museum (MAM) will be reopening after a six-month closure with a new slogan: “Come visit the art – 6 feet apart.”

Social distancing will be part of the new normal at the museum, which will reopen its galleries for a members-only preview day on Saturday, Sept. 12. The museum will open to the general public on Sunday, Sept. 13.

The museum will be abiding by Gov. Phil Murphy’s guidelines for 25 percent indoor capacity, spokespeople said.

• See related article: NJ's Reopen Day (Here's What You Can Do Now Amid Coronavirus)

“We are thrilled to open our doors for our members and friends to once again experience our exciting exhibitions,” Interim Director Ira Wagner said. “Our staff has worked hard to create a comfortable and safe visit for our guests.”

“As our new signage says, ‘Come visit the art – 6 feet apart,’” Wagner added.

Museum spokespeople said:

“The MAM has developed comprehensive safety protocols based on CDC guidelines and guidance from the state of New Jersey to ensure the health and safety of its visitors and employees. Measures include limiting the number of visitors to well below the governor’s current mandate of 25 percent capacity, timed entrance ticketing for one-hour reservations, mandatory masks and temperature checks, social distancing markers and one-way pathways, hand sanitizer units throughout the building, and enhanced cleaning of high-touch surfaces throughout the day. In addition, the museum has upgraded its restrooms with contactless units and made improvements to its ventilation systems.”

The museum will be open from Friday through Sunday with the following hours:

• Friday - noon to 8 p.m. (11 a.m. to noon for seniors and immunocompromised persons)
• Saturday - 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Sunday - 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Some of the exhibitions that were on display when the museum closed in March will still be up when it reopens, including “Federico Uribe: Animalia and Virgil Ortiz: Odyssey of the Venutian Soldiers,” which has been extended.

Other current exhibitions include “Uncaged: Animals in the Collection,” “Personal Landscapes,” and collections in the George Inness Gallery and Rand Gallery.

The MAM has joined the Museum for All initiative, which allows those receiving food assistance (SNAP benefits) to reserve online tickets for up to four people free of charge.

Public program— such as lectures, Free First Thursday Night, and other group gatherings — will be postponed until public health and safety conditions change favorably to facilitate large gatherings, museum spokespeople said.

More information on the museum’s new safety policies and how to purchase tickets is available on its website.

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