![The Cleveland Museum of Art joins a number of area cultural institutions in closing temporarily during the pandemic. [David C. Barnett]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7057a6c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/980x551+0+0/resize/840x472!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F3%2F27%2FCMA_Benefit%20All%20People%20banners_0.jpg)
The Cleveland Museum of Art announced Friday that it would close for a little over two weeks as a public health safety measure in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
In a news release, director William Griswold said the museum will close to the public from Saturday with plans to reopen on March 31. He added that all scheduled events during this time will be canceled or postponed.
“This was not an easy decision,” Griswold said. “However, we are as committed to playing our part in containing the transmission of the virus as we are to being a proactive, leading institution in the community.”
Griswold indicated that most of the museum staff would be working from home during the closure.
The museum joins a number of other area cultural institutions that have canceled events or announced temporary shutdowns. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame also announced Friday that they are temporarily going dark in an effort to reduce the potential for further public exposure to the fast-spreading virus.
