Metropolitan Museum of Art's 150th anniversary celebrations postponed due to COVID-19

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, which opened in 1870, closed its doors on March 13, 2020, after two employees showed flu-like symptoms. The museum's 150th-anniversary celebrations, including the exhibition "Making The Met, 1870-2020," have been postponed. President and CEO Daniel H. Weiss and Director Max Hollein have emphasized the museum's community role, with staff producing masks for healthcare workers. Digital initiatives include online previews of the anniversary exhibition, weekly archival selections, the interactive project Met Stories, curator conversations, and family programs. The museum plans to reopen around July 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the U.S., with over half a million cases. President Donald Trump has suggested a reopening around May 1, in coordination with state governors.