Coronavirus and Art #4: Art Galleries, Museums and Auction Houses close in London

The list of art galleries, museums and auction houses in London which have announced a temporary closure due to the Coronavirus Pandemic are as listed below. 

• I will update this post periodically as new closures are announced.
• Links in the name are to the website or the page where there is an announcement.

The home page of the Serpentine Galleries is unequivocal about what has happened.

Art Galleries and Museums in London

The British Museum will close temporarily from 18 March 2020. Director Hartwig Fischer would like to share this message.

For more information, please see our website: https://t.co/3WrFt92jn2 (1/3) pic.twitter.com/CDrCKIaPhF

— British Museum (@britishmuseum) March 17, 2020

• British Museum
• Tate - has closed all four galleries including Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives until at least 1 May.

• National Portrait Gallery

The safety of our staff, visitors and community is our priority, therefore we have decided to temporarily close the Gallery from Wednesday 18 March until further notice. Please read the full statement below, we look forward to staying in touch with you here on Twitter 💛 pic.twitter.com/pIbfaYopMi

— Portrait Gallery (@NPGLondon) March 17, 2020

• The Royal Academy closed while I was writing this blog post! 

We hereby rename Tuesday Shut All The Museums And Galleries In The UK Day

— Royal Academy (@royalacademy) March 17, 2020

• Serpentine Galleries 

Following careful consideration in response to the COVID-19 situation, the Serpentine will temporarily close to the public from today until further notice.

We look forward to welcoming you back soon. Wish you all good health, the Serpentine team. pic.twitter.com/hqmUQHHntR

— Serpentine Galleries (@SerpentineUK) March 17, 2020

• The whole Southbank Centre, including the Hayward Gallery, has now closed
• The ICA is closed - this includes exhibition spaces, cinema, theatre, bookshop and canteen.

Following careful consideration of the current course of the Covid-19 pandemic, the entire ICA (exhibition spaces, Cinema, Theatre, Bookstore and Rochelle Canteen) will close to visitors and staff until further notice.

Read more: https://t.co/Cxykn4S3o0 pic.twitter.com/pNeE7G9Rwp

— ICA (@ICALondon) March 16, 2020

• Victoria and Albert Museum - close as from tomorrow at South Kensington, Museum of Childhood, Blythe House, V&A Dundee 

Art Galleries in London still open

• The National Gallery remains open for the time being but its new exhibition about 17th century Italian artist Artemisia Gentileschi. has been postponed.
• The Wallace Collection also remains open - but has a lower footfall than some others.

The Wallace Collection is open as usual to welcome visitors, and there are no changes to our opening hours because of coronavirus. We are continuing to monitor the advice of Public Health England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and will update our visitors if the situation changes.

• The Mall Galleries is still open.

Art Galleries elsewhere in the UK

National Galleries Scotland have closed temporarily - until further notice.

Galleries closed until further notice.
In order to help protect the health of our staff and visitors during this difficult time, we are closing all of our Galleries from 5pm this evening, 17 March 2020. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/ze35WxMfPY

— National Galleries (@NatGalleriesSco) March 17, 2020

Auction Houses

The auction houses are not so much closed as very busy rescheduling sales.

• Christies are currently rescheduling a significant number of sales around the world
• Sothebys has an Update to its Spring Sales Schedule