Libraries Access and Support

The Penn Libraries is following the University’s guidance to protect the health and well-being of our community while continuing to support teaching, research, and learning. As this unprecedented challenge evolves, we are actively working to develop service continuity plans that ensure support for our users.

To learn about Libraries Hours, Books and Collections, Classes and Canvas, Events and Meetings, Talk with a Librarian, and other information, visit www.library.upenn.edu/blogs/libraries-news/covid-19-libraries-policies-and-information

Annenberg Center

The Annenberg Center is postponing or cancelling the following events: The White Lama, Danú, The Crossing with Maya Beiser, SFJazz Collective, Trinity Irish Dance Company, and Daedalus Quartet, as well as all public facing guest events and Penn student performances until April 15. If a performance is postponed, ticket holders will be automatically transferred into the new date. Contact the box office (215) 898-3900) for more information.

If a performance is cancelled, or if patrons cannot make the new date of a postponed performance, the following options are available:

• tickets may be exchanged into a future performance at no additional charge;
• patrons may receive a credit on account for the value of the tickets;
• patrons may donate the value of their tickets as a much appreciated gift to the Annenberg Center’s Annual Fund; or
• patrons may request a refund.

The Annenberg Center will continue to follow the University’s guidelines and will follow up as the situation develops. Visit www.annenbergcenter.org

Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA)

To help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and in accordance with University of Pennsylvania guidelines, ICA is now temporarily closed to the public until further notice. All public events taking place at the museum through April 17 have been canceled. ICA staff will have remote office hours Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., also until further notice. You may experience some delays with publication orders and archival requests. We thank you in advance for your patience.

ICA’s priority is to protect and support our visitors, staff, and artists, and we believe that we must do all that we can to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our community, which at this time calls for us to minimize gatherings and activity in our galleries and public spaces. We look forward to being in touch again soon to announce when we’ll be able to welcome you back to the Museum. 

We will continue to monitor the situation on a daily basis and keep you informed of any changes to our current policies. Please check our website and follow us on social media for the most up-to-date information on our evolving response to this critical health crisis. 

For more about the university’s COVID-19 response plan, visit https://coronavirus.upenn.edu/ To reach an ICA staff member please email us at hello@ica.upenn.edu

—John McInerney, ICA Interim Daniel W. Dietrich, II Director

Campus Rec Facilities

Effective Monday, March 16, all Campus Recreation facilities and programs will be suspended until further notice. Visit https://recreation.upenn.edu/sports/2020/3/9/covid-19.aspx for the latest updates.

Due to the coronavirus public health threat, the decision was made to cancel the 2020 Penn Relays. 

Morris Arboretum

In response to the unprecedented public health crisis related to Coronavirus (COVID-19), The Morris Arboretum will close to the public as of March 14, 2020. Please know that this decision was made after careful deliberation and that our priority is to do all we can to ensure the safety and well being of our staff, volunteers, and visitors. Information pertaining to public health is rapidly evolving and, as such, it is not yet known when we will reopen. We will be vigilant in our efforts to keep our website up-to-date and we will communicate directly to members and class registrants via email with the latest details.

The following information is provided in anticipation of some of the questions you may have relative to the following categories:

Individuals who have registered for a class: It is our intention to provide a refund to individuals who have registered for a class that occurs during this temporary closure. We are working as quickly as possible to process your refunds in the manner in which you paid. If you have questions, please contact education@morrisarboretum.org

Annual Membership: We appreciate your patience at this time. We know that early spring is the most natural time to come out to the Arboretum for a walk in the gardens to enjoy the fresh air, but maintaining public health must be our priority. We look forward to seeing you in the gardens just as soon as we are reassured that it is safe for all of our visitors to return. We will keep you updated on any developments, but in the meantime, if you have any questions about your membership, please contact members@morrisarboretum.org

Planned Events: Any individuals that have planned events will receive outreach directly from a staff member to discuss your options. We will continue to update the community as soon as information is available and is consistent with the evolution of this dynamic situation. Questions may be directed to info@morrisarboretum.org

Resources: Center for Disease Control (CDC): cdc.gov/coronavirus
University of Pennsylvania’s dedicated Coronavirus website: coronavirus.upenn.edu

We appreciate your understanding during these challenging times and we thank you for your support. Please stay connected with us through Facebook, Instagram, and our website, http://www.morrisarboretum.org/ 

—Morris Arboretum

Arthur Ross Gallery

Following the University of Pennsylvania’s response to the Coronavirus, the Arthur Ross Gallery has taken steps to prevent the spread of the illness. This includes canceling public programs through April 24. Please note the following revisions to our schedule: 

March 20, Object(ive), canceled

March 23, Angelica Maier lecture, canceled

March 13, 20, 27, Yoga with Anisha, canceled

Re-materialize Opening Reception postponed until April 25

At the present time, the Arthur Ross Gallery is closed for the next two to four weeks. Please check our website, arthurrossgallery.org for up-to-date information. Thank you for your continued support.

—Arthur Ross Gallery

Penn Museum

We prioritize the health and well-being of our guests, volunteers, and staff. Due to ongoing public health concerns related to COVID-19, the Penn Museum has decided to close to the public as of 5 p.m. March 13. We expect the closure to last until April 17 but will be monitoring the situation closely and adjusting as needed.

All public events through April 17 have been postponed or cancelled. We are looking into livestreaming some events and activities through social media and will send more information soon.

We know that in this unprecedented time, it can be helpful to consider our shared human story across the world and through millennia. We encourage you to explore our online resources—including recordings of Great Lectures, archival films, and collections highlights—at www.penn.museum/collections

For all updates and additional information, please refer to www.penn.museum/alert If you have any questions regarding events or programs, please contact Public Engagement at (215) 898-2680 or events@pennmuseum.org If you are a member and have questions about your membership, please contact the Membership Office at (215) 898-5093 or membership@pennmuseum.org

We are thankful to have you as a friend of the Museum. When this time has passed, we look forward to welcoming you back to our galleries and events once more. In the meantime, I join my colleagues in hoping you stay safe and well.  one many upcoming events. Check our penn.museum website regularly for updates.

—Penn Museum 

World Café Live

In response to recent developments concerning the spread of COVID-19, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our doors through the end of the month. As always, our number one priority is the safety and well-being of our guests, artists, and staff. Since city officials have recommended there be no gatherings of more than 250 people, World Cafe Live will be closed to the public through March 31.

We’re working hard to reschedule all affected events. It’s a challenging task, but we don’t want you to miss out on any of the awesome music we had planned. We’re looking forward to an even more exciting spring and summer, when we can once again open our doors and welcome you in for some much needed release.

Information about specific shows can be found online. Over the next few days, our guest services team will reach out to ticket buyers with your options. All current tickets will be valid for rescheduled shows. If a show is postponed with a date TBD, we ask that you please hold onto your tickets until a new date is announced, at which time you can choose to keep them or request a refund. Refunds will be available at point of purchase.

This situation is changing faster than any of us could have imagined, and we will respond accordingly. We expect there to be more postponed shows into April, as artists are figuring out their tour and travel plans. Please be patient with us during this time—we’ll keep you posted as we receive updates. 

We’ll be honest—this is a big blow for our staff. These are the folks who make WCL what it is—the people who take your ticket, serve your meal, pour your beer, mix the music, and more. They are losing money they count on. With our doors closed, we won’t have the funds to pay some of our staff. For hourly workers especially, even two weeks is a long time.

This is also a big blow for World Cafe Live as an organization. We depend on our full slate of concerts, events, and dining.

We’re asking for your help. We’ve created an emergency fund to provide financial support for our team members who are losing critical income during this time, and to help us so we’ll be able to reopen our doors and be here for them—and you—as soon as we’re able. We hope you will consider making a donation to this fund. visit https://tinyurl.com/taodue6 to donate. World Cafe Live is a nonprofit. You will receive a tax receipt for your generous donation.

—World Café Live