The government's change in the Pandemic Act means that museums and art galleries can now reopen, but despite this, 17 out of 22 museums and art galleries that Kulturnyheterna has been in contact with are choosing to remain closed.
The government's change to the so-called restriction ordinance means that museums and art galleries will be subject to the same crowding rules as gyms and shops from March 11. The decision means that they can now reopen with certain restrictions, such as one visitor per ten square meters or a maximum of five hundred visitors.
At the same time, 17 of 22 museums and art galleries that Kulturnyheterna has been in contact with state that they remain closed.
-We thought for a long time that we would be able to open this week, but are still waiting for word from the Public Health Agency about what guidelines will apply to museums, says Johanna Henriksen, editorial director of Värmland Museum.
Discussions are also underway for the Gothenburg City Museum and the Röhsska Museum regarding reopening, and the Government and Public Health Agency guidelines and the infection situation are being followed closely.
– We will not open now, but when we do, we need 15 days to reverse a decision, says Britta Söderqvist, department head for Gothenburg's museums and art gallery.
”Cultural offerings are needed in a situation like this”
The Technical Museum in Stockholm has been open since February 26 and, according to museum director Peter Skogh, measures have been taken to create as safe a museum visit as possible.
– The pandemic will last a long time and a cultural offering is needed in a situation like this. When the Pandemic Act and the regulations for trade came in January, we felt: we can apply this.
”Personal responsibility as individuals”
Moderna Museet Malmö is also one of the few museums that is now reopening, even though Malmö City Museums remains closed until March 31.
– We have a unique exhibition that we would like to open to a Swedish audience. It would be a real shame if we didn't do everything we could to make it accessible to the public, says Iris Müller-Westermann, director of Moderna Museet Malmö.
Source: svt.se
