Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) and five other downtown museums are reopening for visitors again, with new safety features in place. All six art institutions have been closed since mid-March due to Covid-19 restrictions.
The DMA and the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum are opening August 14, and the Nasher Sculpture Center opens August 20. The Crow Museum of Asian Art reopens on September 18, and the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza plans a mid-September opening with exact date to be announced. Perot Museum of Nature and Science will confirm its reopening date soon.
These six museums collaborated to determine appropriate reopening dates allowing implementation of new health and safety measures. All staff and visitors are required to wear face masks, per the Dallas Arts & Culture Reopening Guidelines. Each facility has also added sanitizing stations, among other safety protocols.
In a group statement, the museums said, “We have all been working together since our closures in March to prepare for the days when we can safely welcome visitors again. The past five months have been times of significant change. As cultural institutions, we each recognize our unique roles as places for visitors to find solace, joy, and connection. We are excited to finally reopen our spaces to the community.”
Dallas Museum of Art Temporary Hours
Starting August 14, the DMA will temporarily be open only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free, but tickets to visit must be booked in advance. With over 150,000 square feet of both indoor and outdoor gallery and exhibition space, the DMA will admit up to 200 visitors at a time. They will have wide-ranging access to the building for two-hour periods.
For a list of exhibitions on view, featuring extended closing dates and including the well-received Flores Mexicanas: Women in Modern Mexican Art, visit DMA.org/exhibitions. The special exhibition “For a Dreamer of Houses,” was unable to open to the public in March. The highly anticipated exhibition is available for an additional ticket price. See DMA.org/visit for more information.
Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum
Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum opens August 14, with hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wed. through Sun. Members can enjoy Member-Only hours from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. every Friday. Their 55,000-square-foot facility offers guests plenty of room to interact safely with the museum’s mission. Their mission is to teach the history of the Holocaust and advance human rights to combat prejudice, hatred, and indifference.
Several outdoor areas are available, including a Courtyard and Terrace where guests can enjoy fresh air and remove their masks if needed. Exhibitions include a Pivot to America Wing, which explores the journey for civil rights in America. The current special exhibition, The Fight for Civil Rights in the South, is a moving photographic exhibit that chronicles the African American struggle for civil rights and social equality in the 1960s. Tickets and more information available at DHHRM.org.
Nasher Sculpture Center
Nasher Sculpture Center (the Nasher) opens Aug. 20 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. All tickets must be booked in advance. Barry X Ball: Remaking Sculpture, has been extended until Jan. 3, 2021 and is on view in the main galleries. Foundations: Barry X Ball is extended to Jan. 10. In the Lower Level Gallery, Resist/Release is on view until January 17, and Nasher Prize Laureate: Michael Rakowitz, until April 18.
A new series, Nasher Windows, with work by North Texas artists, continues in the entrance vestibule of the museum until early September. For more information and to book tickets, please visit nashersculpturecenter.org.
Crow Museum of Asian Art
Crow Museum of Asian Art of The University of Texas at Dallas opens September 18. Operating hours will be Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is free, and the museum will operate at a 25% occupancy. Special exhibition Beili Liu: One and Another, is on view. Two exhibitions from the permanent collection, The Art of Lacquer and Immortal Landscapes: Jade from the Collection, are also on view. For more information, visit crowmuseum.org.
The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza opens mid-September, operating Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Timed tickets must be purchased in advance at jfk.org. Capacity is limited to 25 guests per entry time. Admission includes access to Art Reframes History, a special installation of works of art from the museum’s collections. Ranging from Andy Warhol to local artists and musicians, the creative voices share a common point of inspiration: the life and legacy of President Kennedy. More information is available at jfk.org/visit.
Perot Museum of Nature and Science looks forward to reopening, and will announce its plans at a later date. For updates, go to perotmuseum.org.