STOCKHOLM.- Moderna Museet in both Stockholm and Malmö will be ensuring that visitors keep at least 1.5 meters apart, and that people keep moving at a steady pace throughout the exhibitions, to prevent crowding. Several other changes will also be made to ensure that visitors and staff feel safe together.

"When we decided to close the Museum temporarily, the covid-19 situation was new; like the rest of the world, we weren’t sure how to deal with the virus", says Gitte Ørskou, director of Moderna Museet. "The decision to close temporarily was made independently of any third party. Now that we are reopening three months later, the Museum and society in general have learned to follow the recommendations of the Public Health Agency and have adapted to the new normal."

"We decided to reopen on 16 June because we believe people need art more than ever. In the encounter with art and its institutions, we can reflect on, and find comfort in, a situation that has disrupted the world as we know it. When the Museum reopens, we will have every possible safety precaution in place", says Gitte Ørskou.

Stockholm
Opening hours will be changed temporarily.

No public guided tours of the collection or exhibitions indoors will be offered at present, but the digital sofa tours will continue, at the rate of one per week. Activities for kids will be held outdoors during the summer. All other events are cancelled for the time being.

Visitors will have a new chance to see the exhibition Walid Raad: Let’s be honest, the weather helped. The exhibition, which opened on 15 February, is extended until 16 August.

The first posthumous exhibition of John Baldessari, which was due to open on 21 March, will instead open on 16 June. This exhibition is also extended, until 25 October.

The Moderna Museet Restaurant in Stockholm will open on 16 June, but the buffet is cancelled and replaced with lunch served on plates.

Malmö
The opening hours are the same as before the temporary closure.

The exhibition Hilma af Klint – Artist, Researcher, Medium, which was due to open on 4 April, will instead be opening on 16 June. Pre-booked tickets are required for all visitors, including children and others who have free admission. More information will be posted on the website nearer the opening date.

No public guided tours indoors will be offered at present, but digital tours of Hilma af Klint is available on the museum’s Youtube channel. Activities for kids will be held outdoors during the summer. All other events are cancelled for the time being.

Bröd och Vänner will open the museum café from June 16. In order to provide a safe environment, there will be limited number of seats available, and orders will be placed at the tables.