The Horta Museum in Brussels is preparing to reopen its doors in mid-May more than a month after it was shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The museum housed in the former home of Belgium's renowned Art-Nouveau architect Victor Horta will once again receive visitors from 18 May.
"We will begin opening only on the weekends first and we are planning to open full-time again from the start of July," director Benjamin Zurstrassen told The Brussels Times.
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Belgium's National Security Council said museums could be allowed to reopen from 18 May under a number of conditions.
"We will completely transform the visiting circuit in order to limit contact between the visitors as much as possible," Zurstrassen said.
"The use of face masks will also be mandatory, if visitors don't have them already we will provide disposable ones, and we will also supply them with disinfecting hand gel," he added.
While larger museums could be subject to receiving visitors on an appointment-only basis, Zurstrassen said that the small size of the Horta Museum meant that this would not be necessary.
"We will allow a maximum of 45 visitors at the same time, the surface of the museum is large enough for that number.
With the locker rooms inaccessible due to sanitary reasons, Zurstrassen said that visitors could only take in a small bag with them.
Since closing down its doors in mid-March, the iconic Art-Nouveau museum has been one of several in Brussels to turn to virtual visits to continue offering visitors access to their collections, sharing footage and other material through their online platform HortAtHome.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
