The San Diego Museum Council, which represents more than 40 museums countywide, said it was disappointed by the latest round of closures, but safety remains its top priority.
Museums across the county were forced to close again this week after the number of COVID-19 cases increased. Along with the closure of museums, restaurants were forced to close indoor dining and zoos and family entertainment centers were told to close.
“As with other business sectors, San Diego museums were monitoring the situation on a daily – and sometimes hourly – basis, so the closure announcement wasn’t entirely unexpected,” Rebecca Handelsman, board president for the San Diego Museum Council, said. “Throughout the County, museum teams had been working tirelessly behind the scenes for weeks to prepare for various scenarios, including the prospect of another round of closures.”
Handelsman said, “While it is certainly disappointing for us not to be able to see our guests in person right now, the safety of the community and compliance with State and County health mandates is always our top priority.”
Despite the in-person closure of museums, Handelsman encouraged the public to visit the websites and social media accounts of area museums to take advantage of their virtual offerings.
“Many of our museums have found other creative ways to serve the community during their closures with enriching new virtual experiences and programs via their websites and social media,” Handelsman said. “We have found these offerings to be extremely popular and many will likely continue even after museums have re-opened their doors.”
The public can also support museums by making donations.
“San Diego’s museum community looks forward to welcoming guests back when it is safe to do so,” Handelsman said. “In the meantime, we invite everyone to stay connected with us through social media as we continue to find innovative ways to support the community with the help of our member institutions, which, as always, have so much to offer San Diegans.”
For more information about San Diego museums and its virtual programs, go to sandiegomuseumcouncil.org.