Midtown Museums Reopen This Week: What To Know

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Museums and cultural centers around New York City began to reopen to the public on Monday, more than a week after Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave them the green light to allow visitors at up to 25 percent occupancy.

From MoMA to the Intrepid, Midtown and Hell's Kitchen boast a wealth of museums and galleries, but the institutions have sat mostly empty for five months, after closing their doors in March as the coronavirus took hold.

Now, many big names in the neighborhood are planning to reopen over the next several weeks. Here's the rundown.

David Zwirner Gallery: two of the gallery's Chelsea locations will reopen Sept. 10 with solo exhibitions. The 19th Street Gallery at 525 West 19th St. will open with an exhibition by Belgian painter Harold Ancart, and the 20th Street Gallery at 537 West 20th St. will feature an exhibition by painter Suzan Frecon. Safety protocols will be in place, including required face masks and caps of eight visitors at a time.

Houdini Museum: the museum, on West 35th Street, will be open by appointment Thursday-Sunday, with face masks required, according to its website.

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum: the converted warships on the Hudson River in Hell's Kitchen will reopen Sept. 25 with limited hours, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Health measures will include face masks, attendance limits and frequent sanitizing.

Morgan Library & Museum: the Morgan will offer public tickets starting Aug. 26 ahead of its Sept. 5 reopening, and members can visit from Sept. 2-4. Safety protocols include required face coverings, advanced ticket purchases and social distancing rules.

Museum at FIT: the 27th Street museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology has not announced a reopening plan.

Museum of Arts and Design: the MAD at Columbus Circle has not announced a reopening plan, but its store is open online.

Museum of Modern Art: likely Midtown's most anticipated reopening, MoMA will open starting Aug. 27, with free access through Sept. 27 through a partnership with UNIQLO. Timed tickets must be reserved in advance and are sold out through Sept. 3, with the next round going on sale Friday morning.

Museum of Sex: the museum known as MoSex near Madison Square Park will reopen Thursday with a number of health protocols in place.

National Museum of Mathematics: MoMath has not announced any plans to reopen its East 26th Street space.

Whitney Museum: the Whitney is reopening Sept. 3, with advance tickets now available online. The museum will be pay-what-you-wish, and health protocols include required face coverings, social distancing and new circulation routes in staircases and elevators.