There’s a moment of stillness and awe that comes in the presence of an extraordinary piece of art. It’s a chance to breathe. A space for reflection. A pause when we’re opened to a different perspective. If ever there was a year when we needed that, it is 2020. But 2020 has been a tough year for all in-person experiences.

Like so much else, the infrastructure of art has been shaken by the COVID pandemic. Like other institutions, museums shut their doors to in-person visitors in March. Allowing virtual visitors free access to digital versions of their collections enabled a connection with a huge audience of art aficionados around the world, providing expanded reach—but not revenue.

COVID-19 has posed a special challenge to art institutions around the world. March 13th, 2020 marked the beginning of the countrywide lockdown, and with it came the indefinite closure of art institutions all over the country. This website chronicles the impact of COVID-19 on the art world, including a shift toward digital accessibility, increased community outreach, revealing a lack of and shift toward diversity in art spaces, social distancing and other safety measures taking place in order to ensure safe reopenings, and the projected future of art museums.