SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) announced the institution would reopen on Sunday, October 4, and they will offer free admission and parking until October 18.
After six months of shutting down due to COVID-19 restrictions, on September 17 the museum said they would start operating again with several measures to ensure the health and safety of staff and visitors. These measures include opening at a 25 percent capacity with timed tickets and requiring guests and workers to wear face coverings and to follow physical distancing guidelines. SFMOMA will provide complimentary masks for those who don’t have one. There will also be hand sanitizing stations around the museum and public spaces will be cleaned hourly.
The interactive experiences at the museum, such as videos, will be on loop so that guests don’t have to touch surfaces. In the announcement, the museum said they won’t offer device rentals for audio tours. These can be accessed through the SFMOMA application. On-site tours will also be suspended until the end of the year but the museum will continue offering virtual programs and online events for the public.
“We are elated to welcome our community back to SFMOMA after more than six months of closure,” said Director Neal Benezra. “I’m grateful for our dedicated staff who helped care for the museum and keep its spirit alive during this challenging time, and for the many who helped make it possible to reopen our doors. We look forward to offering visitors a respite from the smoky air and inspiration in our soaring galleries and vibrant exhibitions.”
SFMOMA said they would focus on Bay Area artists after reopening. They released the exhibitions and programs they will have which include the following:
- Dawoud Bey: An American Project – on view through October 12, 2020
- Thought Pieces: 1970s Photographs by Lew Thomas, Donna-Lee Philips, and Hal Fischer – on view through November 1, 2020
- David Park: A Retrospective – open
- David Park and His Circle: The Drawing Sessions – open
- *New* artist commissions by Muzae Sesay and Twin Walls Mural Company – open
- Future Histories: Theaster Gates and Cauleen Smith – opens October 17, 2020
- *New* artist commission by Liz Hernández – opens December 2020
- *New* photography commissions by Erina Alejo and Adrian L. Burrell – opens December 2020
- *New* Close to Home: Creativity in Crisis – opens December 2020
- Off the Wall – opens December 2020
The museum will now open Friday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. The cafe will also be open for grab-and-go dining in distanced tables on the fifth floor. SFMOMA’s coffee bars and In Situ, the museum’s restaurant, will remain closed for now. The store on the second floor will be open on October 4 and the main one on October 15. For more information, on the cafe and stores hours visit the institution’s webpage.
SFMOMA members will be able to buy tickets starting September 23 and they have the possibility of visiting the museum from October 1 during the preview days. Tickets will be available to the public on September 25. People can buy them at the museum, but are encouraged to reserve them online.
