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The Smithsonian museums and the National Gallery of Art will close starting Saturday, and the Kennedy Center has canceled all performances and public events through March 31, the latest high-profile cultural organizations in Washington to go dark because of the increasing threat of the spread of covid-19.
Smithsonian officials did not announce a reopening date for its museums and the National Zoo, saying it will provide updates on a weekly basis. The National Gallery of Art expects to reopen April 4.
Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter said the board approved the plan in a meeting late Thursday afternoon. The Kennedy Center campus and all facilities, including the restaurant and cafe, will be closed as of Friday.
"We need to be a part of the larger national effort to contain the spread of the virus," Rutter said Thursday. "This is a really challenging business decision. As you know, nonprofits live close to the edge."
Rutter said a conference call with D.C. health officials Wednesday night emphasized the special issues with theatrical events, even ones with fewer than 1,000 people.
"The specific circumstances of sitting side by side in a closed-in space with people" is the problem, she said. The center discussed continuing performances in its smaller spaces, or moving productions to them, but decided closing was the better option. "Social distancing is what's needed to stop the explosive spreading of the virus," she said.
Thursday's performances will continue, but upcoming productions — including the opera "Blue," will not go on. "It's heartbreaking, very emotional," Rutter said, noting that the arts center has worked on that production for 18 months. "But it's the right thing for everyone."
It's too soon to know whether "Blue" can be rescheduled. "It will take some time to determine which programs have the potential for rescheduling. We'll have more info in the coming days/weeks," wrote Kennedy Center spokeswoman Rachelle Roe in an email.
Ticket holders will be able to exchange tickets, donate them, transfer them to a future credit or receive a full refund.
The Library of Congress has also canceled all public events in its buildings from 5 p.m. Thursday through April 1, citing an effort to reduce the spread of covid-19.
The announcement comes after the Capitol Visitor Center said it will close until April 1, and the House and Senate sergeants at arms announced the cancellation of tours through the end of the month.
"The Library's top priority is the safety and health of our staff and visitors. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution, the Library decided to close to the public for the rest of the month. This will help reduce the risk of transmitting covid-19 coronavirus and will also be consistent with other buildings in the Capitol complex," April Slayton, director of communications, said in a statement.
Library officials said they will attempt to reschedule the programs. They also noted that many of the library's resources can be accessed through loc.gov. Average daily attendance in the library's Jefferson Building was 6,000 last March, according to a spokesman.
The Washington Performing Arts has canceled Friday's performance of Terry Riley's "Sun Rings" by Kronos Quartet with the Choral Arts Chamber Singers at the Lisner Auditorium and the March 21 concert by Veronica Swift at Sixth and I. Ticket holders will be contacted directly concerning ticket exchanges and refunds. The arts organization's gala will move online on Saturday, and the "Black Love Experience 2020," a co-production scheduled for March 21 at THEARC has been rescheduled for Aug. 29.
Washington Performing Arts President and CEO Jenny Bilfield said the organization started the week thinking it could proceed with the performances. "Now, less than two days later, we have crossed the threshold from caution to action and have immediately responded in the interest of the public welfare. We deeply regret that we will not be able to share performances by the Kronos Quartet, Choral Arts Chamber Singers and Veronica Swift with our audiences this season. But we are overjoyed that we will be able to produce our gala — and pay tribute to Sheila Johnson and so many other amazing women, including our devoted Women's Committee — in this very 21st-century, virtual format," Bilfield said in a statement.
Monumental Theatre Company, which performs on the campus of Episcopal High School in Alexandria, will close its run of "Head Over Heels" after Sunday's performance because the school is closing. The show was expected to run through March 23. The theater hopes to reschedule once the campus reopens in April.
Announcements also arrived on Thursday from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, which is calling off all concerts and public events through March 21 at both the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and the Music Center at Strathmore, and the Philadelphia Orchestra, which has canceled all concerts and events at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and the Academy of Music through March 23.
Glenstone, the Potomac, Md., contemporary art museum and park, announced it will close its indoor spaces Friday. "We ask visitors to treat a Glenstone visit like a trip to a park," according to its announcement. There will be limited staff and no food or bathrooms. Ford's Theatre has canceled its upcoming performances of "Guys and Dolls." Saturday's performance will go on, but those scheduled from March 16-April 4 have been canceled. Theater officials hope to reschedule them in April.
Copyright WP Company LLC d/b/a The Washington Post Mar 12, 2020