New York City's Museums To Reopen As State's COVID-19 Numbers Continue To Tick Down

New York City's museums and cultural institutions will be allowed to open up again later this month, for the first time since being temporarily shuttered because of the coronavirus pandemic.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that the city's museum can open back up again beginning Aug. 24.

"New York City's world-class cultural institutions have long provided comfort and creativity for generations of people in one of the world's most vibrant places, and when the COVID-19 pandemic began to threaten the city and this nation, it was especially heartbreaking to see them close their doors," Cuomo said.

The announcement marked a major milestone in New York's fight against the coronavirus. During the height of its outbreak this spring, roughly half of COVID-19 tests in the state were coming back positive. On Saturday, Cuomo announced that the positive rate for Friday stood at .83%, marking eight straight days of a rate below 1%.

Museums that reopen will have to follow strict guidelines. Patrons will be required to wear face coverings, and capacity will be limited to 25%. Rules designed to enforce social distancing and regulate the flow of crowds will also be in place.