Athens municipality suspends operation of cultural and indoor sports venues

The municipality of Athens on Friday announced that it is suspending the operation of cultural venues and indoor sports facilities, in line with official guidelines for containing the spread of coronavirus.

Among the venues to be closed is the Athens Technopolis in Gazi.

The Athens municipality has also shuttered the Municipal Art Gallery in Metaxourgio, the Arts Centre in Eleftherias Park, the Chatzimichalis Folk Art and Traditions Museum in Plaka, the Platonos Digital Museum, the Dodecanese House at Sepolia, the "Melina" cultural centre in Thissio, the Antonis Tritsis Amphitheatre, its creative learning centres, the theatres "Olympia – Maria Callas" and "Anna and Maria Kalouta" in Neos Kosmos, as well as the library at Larissis station.

In addition, it has suspended the operation of indoor sports facilities run by the municipality's Culture and Sports Organization (OPANDA).

Theatres, cinemas and cultural event facilities will also shut down for 14 days as part of measures to contain the coronavirus epidemic, the Ministry of Culture said on Thursday, citing decisions by the National Public Health Organization (EODY) and the Ministry of Health.

Museums will be open but will place restrictions on the number of visitors at each time.

"Museum staff must ensure that in every exhibition room – depending on its size – there are no more than 20-30 people at a time," an announcement by the ministry said. "The same holds for large number of visitors waiting at ticket booths."

It added that archaeological sites will operate normally, unless there is a different directive.

[ANA-MPA]