Reports began circulating last week that the 2020 Met Gala would proceed as planned despite concerns over the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but now that has changed. The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which has put on the Met Gala each year since 1948, has been postponed indefinitely. According to Vogue, an internal email was sent out to Met staff announcing that the museum “will remain closed through Saturday, April 4.”
The Center for Disease Control advised against gatherings of 50 people or more for the next eight weeks. A spokesperson added that “all programs and events through May 15 will be canceled or postponed,” including the Gala. The event was supposed to take place on May 4. Other events have been postponed or canceled like Coachella, Stagecoach, and SXSW. This year, the chosen theme was About Time: Fashion and Duration.