The San Diego Museum of Art will reopen to the public on Saturday following closure since March 14 due to the global pandemic.
“Our incredible staff has been working diligently to provide a safe and comfortable environment for all visitors. I am thrilled to be able to welcome the community back into the galleries,” said Executive Director Roxana Velásquez.
The museum in Balboa Park will reopen at reduced capacity. All staff and visitors will be required to wear face masks, follow physical distancing measures, and pass a non-invasive temperature screening.
Museum members will receive early access beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday. Frontline workers and first responders will be admitted free through Nov. 14 in thanks for their efforts during the pandemic.
The museum reopens with a new 30-minute video by contemporary artist Cauleen Smith, and an exhibition of rarely seen works by Rembrant:
- “Juan Sánchez Cotán and Cauleen Smith: Mystical Time and Deceptive Light” was inspired by a 400-year-old painting in the museum’s permanent collection, “Still Life with Quince, Cabbage, Melon, and Cucumber.” Smith became captivated by the famous painting and produced the installation art piece.
- “Rembrandt and Printmaking in the Netherlands” will feature nearly 20 of Rembrandt van Rijn’s etchings, which were not reproductions of his paintings and are considered individual masterpieces. Some of the works have never been seen publicly while others have been in dark storage for the last two decades.
The restaurant at the Museum, Panama 66, will be open for table service and offers a new menu.
The museum hosts an internationally renowned collection of more than 20,000 works–dating from 3000 BC to the present day, featuring Spanish and Italian old masters, South Asian paintings, East Asian art, American art, and modern and contemporary paintings and sculptures.