Austria's museums close as COVID-19 lockdown begins

Austria finally implemented a nationwide lockdown on March 16, 2020, with measures similar to Italy's: restricted movement, closure of non-essential businesses, and border controls. Earlier, the Kunsthalle Wien initially kept its exhibition '…di pane, vino, automobili, sicurezza e pace' open despite the government ordinance limiting indoor gatherings to 100 people and outdoor to 500. However, it later closed. The Albertina museum postponed the inauguration of its Albertina Modern section at the Künstlerhaus in Karlsplatz, which was to include a new contemporary art collection from a major donation. The Martin Janda Gallery saw a sharp drop in visitors. Austria's initial response treated the pandemic as an 'Italian' problem, closing the border with Italy, but cases rose to 959 infections, 2 deaths, and 6 recoveries by March 16. Tirol implemented a total isolation similar to Italy's, while Switzerland and Germany closed borders with Austria.