When do museums and art galleries open?

Galleries and museums have re-opened their doors to visitors

Art enthusiasts are finally able to enjoy museums and galleries once again.

As per the government’s current “four-step” roadmap out of lockdown – which is subject to change dependent on the success of the ongoing vaccine rollout and a reduction in the number of Covid-related deaths – the UK entered step three today (Monday 17 May).

Under this stage “indoor entertainment” is now allowed to re-open, including cinemas, theatres and art establishments.

Museums and art galleries will be permitted to accept visitors from today onwards, joining commercial galleries which had been allowed to re-open five weeks earlier, from 12 April.

Museums were closed for several months during the spring of 2020 until a brief period of time in summer when they were able to reopen before institutions were closed once again at the end of December.

From David Hockney to Paul Rego, here’s our list of art exhibitions to book now.

The Barbican’s Jean Dubuffet: Brutal Beauty exhibit will open on 17 May, while two exhibits at the Hayward Gallery (Matthew Barney: Redoubt and Igshaan Adams: Kicking Dust) are scheduled to open on 19 May.

The V&A’s Alice (which explores the origins and reinventions of Lewis Carroll’s famous manuscript) is accepting bookings from 22 May, while Tate Modern’s Rodin is open from 18 May and Whitechapel Gallery’s Eileen Agar from 19 May.

Mask wearing, limited advanced booking and social distancing measures are set to remain in place until at least 21 June.