In Germany, museums reopen after 4 months, but not everywhere (and they can always close again)

After four months museums in Germany can finally reopen. Museums in the country closed their doors in November and have not opened since: now, in the easing of restrictive measures, the federal government has given cultural institutions the chance to open, starting Monday, March 8. The rules, however, are different: in areas where the incidence of cases has been at least for seven days less than 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, unrestricted openings, while between 50 and 100 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, there is areservation requirement. In contrast, for areas where the incidence of infection is higher, no opening. Germany therefore bases the reopening on incidence rate alone, and the situation cannot therefore be compared to Italy, since in our country the allocation of white, yellow, orange and red zones is decided on the basis of different parameters (and therefore not only on the basis of incidence rate).

For now, all the states (the federal states) except Thuringia have the numbers to be able to open, but only two (Schleswig-Holstein and Rhineland-Palatinate) have incidence rates below 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Moreover, in case the incidence rate starts to rise again, the government can decide to close the doors of the institutes again (which are the only places that can reopen: the theaters in fact are closed until at least March 21). Unlike in Italy, there are no limits on days and hours.

However, the Deutscher Museums Bund, or the association of German museums, expressed satisfaction with the possibility of reopening. “In the newly presented phased plan,” the association states, “museums are among the first cultural institutions to be allowed to open as of March 8, 2021. Now the states must decide how to implement the plan and use the margins for maneuver. The Deutscher Museums Bund appeals to the federal states to seek an exchange with museums as soon as possible in order to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the phased plan. Museums are reliable partners when it comes to developing the framework for reopenings. They already have sanitation rules that can be adapted to the new requirements. Museums are aware of their responsibility to design the reopenings that are now possible together with their visitors so as to avoid risks. We look forward to finally being able to offer beautiful and profound experiences in museums again after months of closure.”

Pictured: the Pergamon Museum in Berlin (pre-Covid photo)

In Germany, museums reopen after 4 months, but not everywhere (and they can always close again)

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