MMCA temporarily closes to prevent spread of virus

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) announced Monday it will temporarily close its four venues in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, as the number of infections have spiked in the past few days.

The announcement came after the government raised the virus alert level to the “highest” on Sunday. “A few days from now are a very important moment,” President Moon Jae-in said.

MMCA Seoul will close starting Tuesday. The three other venues -- MMCA Gwacheon, MMCA Cheongju and MMCA Deoksugung -- were shut down Monday.

“We decided to close the venues to prevent the further spread of the virus and secure safety for visitors, which is part of a preemptive move of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism,” said a public relations official from the museum. The reopening date of the museums will be announced later, the official added.

Current exhibitions at the four venues include “Korean Video Art from 1970s to 1990s: Time Image Apparatus” in Gwacheon, “The Square: Art and Society in Korea” in Seoul, and “The Adventures of Korean Contemporary Painting” in Cheongju.

The National Museum of Korea and National Library of Korea also announced temporary closures starting Tuesday and Monday, respectively.

By Park Yuna (yunapark@heraldcorp.com)