Tate has announced it is closing all its galleries from this evening (17 March), due to ongoing fears surrounding coronavirus.
That means that Tate's two major galleries in London — Tate Modern and Tate Britain — will be shut until at least 1 May. Tate says they are taking this action in line with the latest information from Public Health England. The move is in order to protect the health of both Tate staff and the galleries' visitors.
The safety of our staff, visitors and community is our top priority. So, in line with the latest advice from Public Health England, Tate's four galleries will all be temporarily closed from this evening until 1 May. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/YaFi28HXm9
— Tate (@Tate) March 17, 2020
If you've booked a ticket to a Tate exhibition during the time period the galleries will be shut, you can opt for a refund, rebook your ticket for a later date, or (if you can afford it) choose to donate the cost of your ticket to Tate.
Last weekend saw plenty of minor galleries close due to coronavirus, but as far as we are aware, Tate Modern and Tate Britain are the capital's first major galleries to shut. However, the National Gallery has indefinitely delayed the opening of its Artemesia exhibition, and it feels like only a matter of time before other major galleries follow Tate's suit.
London's West End theatres closed their doors last night.
Keep up to date on all the latest coronavirus news here.
