'Moment of great optimism': Sydney's cultural institutions open their doors
Sydneysiders have embraced the city's cultural resurrection after galleries and libraries opened their doors for the first time since the coronavirus-induced shutdown.
There were long queues outside the Art Gallery of NSW and the State Library of NSW on Monday morning as hundreds of people lined up to be part of history. Both institutions last closed their doors during the 1919 Spanish flu pandemic.
Visitors at the Art Gallery of NSW on Monday morning. Credit:James Brickwood
Gallery director Michael Brand said it was "fantastic" to see people flowing into the venue again.
"It's a moment of great optimism," Dr Brand said. "This is what a museum needs. We have the art but we need people in here looking at the art."
The gallery implemented an online booking system but also accepts walk-ins, providing the capacity of 2096 people has not been reached.
While Dr Brand said he expected a strong turnout, there were a few creeping doubts.
The State Library of NSW opens for the first time since March. Credit:Nick Moir
"You're never quite sure whether people are so desperate to come out that they'll flood out, or whether people have forgotten how to get into the city," he said. "It's wonderful to see that Sydney appreciates art museums."
Hand sanitiser stations were available and there was plenty of social distancing inside the gallery as visitors dispersed throughout the various exhibits.
"People sort of self-police in an art museum anyway because you tend to want to look at a painting by yourself, not with five people standing right next to you," Dr Brand said.
Caleb Osborne, 21, was one of the first visitors on Monday morning.
University student Nelson Fishlock enjoys the reading room at the State Library of NSW. Credit:Nick Moir
"I'm elated and overjoyed and the most excited I think I've literally ever been in my entire life. Christmas has come on the first of June," Mr Osborne said.
There was similar enthusiasm down the road as the State Library of NSW opened again, with chief executive John Vallance describing "a lovely low-key buzz".
"By about 9am people started to arrive. There was a long, physically-distanced queue outside both entrances to the library," Dr Vallance said. "You could see grins on people's faces walking back into the reading room ... They've missed it as much as we have."
The library was almost at its capacity of 200 people for the morning session and Dr Vallance said the online booking system was going well.
"Sydneysiders leave things to the last minute, but we're confident we're going to be full from now on. We hate turning people away so we'll do our very best to find safe space for people."
The Museum of Contemporary Art opens on June 16.