Phillips Collection Reopens; Free Admission All Month

Its Phillips House will remain closed after a fire on its roof yesterday, but the rest of the Phillips Collection will reopen Saturday -- and admission will be free for the rest of the month, the museum announced Friday afternoon.

According to the release, “Museum conservators have evaluated the artwork and determined conclusively that nothing has incurred significant damage. The building condition is under ongoing evaluation while cleanup and repair are underway.”

Full press release below: 

Museum Waives Admission Fees Through September 2010

Washington, D.C. — The Phillips Collection reopens Saturday, September 4 after closing due to a renovation-related fire on the roof of the Phillips House. The Phillips House will remain closed for repairs until further notice. All other galleries will open, including those where special exhibitions Pousette-Dart: Predominantly White Paintings and Robert Ryman: Variations and Improvisations are on view through September 12, 2010. Regular museum admission is waived for the month of September; visitor contributions by donation are gladly accepted. Interruptions to programming schedule may occur. Visitors should check for updates at www.phillipscollection.org.

The Phillips Collection has received an outpouring of support from friends and colleagues in the city of Washington, D.C. and across the nation since the fire. Director Dorothy Kosinski says, “All of us at the Phillips are tremendously grateful for the countless offers of assistance, words of encouragement, kindness, and generosity extended by our colleagues in the museum community and beyond. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

The fire, which broke out on the morning of September 2, was contained and extinguished swiftly. No one was injured. All artwork is safe and secure. Museum conservators have evaluated the artwork and determined conclusively that nothing has incurred significant damage. The building condition is under ongoing evaluation while cleanup and repair are underway.

Most museum phone lines continue to be out of service. For updated information, visit the Phillips’s Web site www.phillipscollection.org or follow the museum on Facebook (www.facebook.com/phillipscollection) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/phillipsmuseum).

Phillips Collection Reopens Tomorrow, Offers Free Admission Through September was originally published by Washington City Paper on Sep 3, 2010.

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