Smithsonian Museums and the National Zoo to Close March 14

Dear Friends,

We are alerting you to an announcement from Secretary Lonnie Bunch regarding the closing of our museums to the public as of Saturday, March 14. To stay informed, please visit SI.edu. Thank you for your ongoing support and please take care.

As a public health precaution due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), all Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and New York City, including the National Zoo will temporarily close to the public starting Saturday, March 14.

The health and safety of Smithsonian visitors, staff and volunteers is a top priority. We are closely monitoring the coronavirus situation and maintain ongoing communication with local health officials and the Centers for Disease Control. Due to the rapidly changing nature of the situation, we are not announcing a re-opening date at this time and will provide updates on a week-to-week basis on our websites. Follow the Smithsonian on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for immediate updates.

In the meantime, we invite the public to explore the Smithsonian’s online resources by visiting SI.edu and museum websites for more information on virtual exhibitions, online collections and educational resources.