Many Long Island museums closed amid coronavirus concerns

In response to coronavirus safety concerns, several Long Island museums — from the Cradle of Aviation and Long Island Children's Museum to the Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium in Centerport — have closed to the public. 

Vanderbilt spokesman Pat Keeffe said in a telephone interview Friday that there have been no issues with anyone on the estate coming in contact with the virus, but the closure until further notice is being implemented as a safety measure.

“This is out of caution,” Keeffe said. “We’ve got school groups and senior travel groups coming through all the time — we have a lot of people on the property.”

Keeffe said that tickets purchased for the planetarium and special events will retain their value and may be used at future dates. He said it was not immediately known if refunds would be possible.

In Garden City, the Cradle of Aviation and Long Island Children's museums closed Friday for at least the next two weeks. 

Also Friday, the Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill announced its closure. A statement from museum director Terrie Sultan invited patrons to pay a virtual visit via podcasts and videos focused on the East End artists whose work is showcased in the expansive space.

The Whaling Museum & Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor is closing its galleries through March 31 in light of the coronavirus pandemic and postponing all public events until further notice as a precautionary measure.

“Our highest priority is the health and safety of our guests, staff and volunteers,” said assistant director Cindy Grimm. “We are closely monitoring updates and will post any further closures on our website and social media accounts.”