A number of museums in Downtown Dallas have collectively decided to pause plans to reopen, according to a joint statement released Monday.
Though the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science had plans to reopen in early July, the two museums will no longer do so, officials said.
They are working in "close coordination" with the Crow Museum of Asian Art, Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center and The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza to determine when to reopen.
The decision comes as cases of COVID-19 have spiked across Texas, prompting Gov. Greg Abbott to roll back certain reopening measures and close down bars.
"We believe it is important to support Governor Abbott’s, Mayor Johnson’s and Judge Jenkins’ appeals for Texans to stay home, if at all possible, to be good community partners and neighbors," the statement read. "While museums are still allowed to be open at 50% capacity, we believe a temporary delay in reopening is the most appropriate demonstration of our shared responsibility."
The museums decided to do so despite the "rigorous guidelines" they had put in place for their reopening, saying they are "part of a larger community."
The African American Museum at Fair Park, Arlington Museum of Art, Dallas Contemporary, Fort Worth's Stockyards Museum and the George W. Bush Presidential Center remain temporarily closed as well.
A number of the museums have, however, transitioned to online programming and virtual tours for those interested in their offerings.
Other museums in the Dallas-Fort Worth area have already reopened or still plan to reopen though, despite the rise in cases.
The Modern in Fort Worth still plans to reopen July 1, though its cafe will not.
The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History plans to reopen starting July 9, according to its website.
The Kimbell Art Museum already reopened its doors on June 20 after a period of member-only previews that began on June 18.
The Dallas Heritage Village has remained open, though all buildings remain closed.
The Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary is currently open as well.
