The Japanese American National Museum announced late Monday that it will close to the public, effective immediately, in light of the rapidly increasing COVID-19 infection rates in Los Angeles County due to the Omicron variant.
“The safety of our community is of paramount importance to us, as is our obligation as a public institution to do our part to support efforts to inhibit the spread of the COVID-19 virus,” JANM said in a message on its website. “We will continue to monitor public health guidelines and reassess as the situation unfolds.”
Events planned for the New Year’s weekend included the 2022 Oshogatsu Family Festival, which will now be held virtually at www.janm.org.
“In the 30 years since JANM first opened its doors, we’ve been sustained and inspired by your support and commitment to the museum,” the JANM statement continued. “While our doors are temporarily shuttered, we do hope that you’ll take this opportunity to explore our digital content—our rich collection of life histories and documentaries where Japanese American stories come alive; our archive of letters and documents that preserve this important history; and activities from our Education Unit that can be done at home. We also invite you to join us for upcoming virtual programs. We hope you will continue your journey of learning with us.”