Preston's Harris Museum to temporarily close due to coronavirus pandemic

The Harris Museum in Preston will temporarily close its doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Preston City Council said the closure will come into effect from 5pm tomorrow (March 20).

Cabinet member for culture and leisure, Councillor Peter Kelly, said: "These are unprecedented times. As a council we are stringently following Government and public health guidance and have not made these decisions lightly.

"We all have a responsibility to follow advice to minimise the risks associated with the Covid-19 virus and these temporary closures allow our visitors, along with our colleagues, to maintain social distancing.

"Staff at the council will continue to work in providing essential services to the residents of Preston, but we ask for your patience and understanding while we try our best to carry on as much as possible."

The reception desk at the Town Hall, as well as the Preston City Council run Pavilion Café in Avenham Park, will also close to visitors 'until further notice'.

In a statement on social media, a spokesperson for Harris Museum said: "The Harris has been freely accessible to the public for 125 years and we are working hard on the #HarrisYourPlace project to ensure it’s accessible for another 125 more.

"While we don’t know exactly how long we will be closed for, we will be using our new website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to speak to you, our lovely visitors and huge supporters.

"We’d love to hear from you online during this time and hope it won’t be long before we are able to open our gates again and enjoy seeing over 1000 of you again each day."

Artwork in the Harris can still be viewed online by making use of the virtual tours on the new website that can be accessed by clicking HERE.