Decision with a heavy heart

現在、ほとんどの美術館や博物館は閉館していますが、TOEICでも閉館は頻出するトピックであります。ちょうど昨年公開された韓国のテストでも出ていました。TOEICでは改装が理由の場合がほとんどですね。

30分あたりからの会話

Hi, I heard that the museum will be undergoing renovations in March. Will it still be open for visitors?

-The museum will be closed for the entire month, but the outdoor garden will still be open.

（聞いたところ美術館は3月に改装する予定だそうです。それでも訪問客に対しては開館していますか。

美術館はまる一ヶ月閉館しますが、屋外庭園は引き続き開園しております）

下記は大英美術館の一時閉館のメッセージです。日本のウエブページの変な英語を見て笑って何かした気になるのではなく、こういった場合自分だったらどのようなメッセージを英語で書くことができるかという問題意識で読んでみたいです。

閉館の決断が重いものでありつつ、職員や訪問客の安全と健康を最優先しているという閉館理由を明記しています。必要なメッセージを簡潔に述べたものなので全文引用させてもらいます。

The British Museum will close temporarily from 18 March 2020. Director Hartwig Fischer would like to share this message.  

‘The British Museum will be closed temporarily. We have taken this decision with a heavy heart but our absolute priority is the health and safety of our staff and visitors. At present we do not know when we will be able to reopen but we hope to be able to provide further updates soon.’ – Director Hartwig Fischer 

For more information, please see our website. 

Future exhibition plans will be reviewed once we reopen. Refunds will be offered if exhibitions are cancelled, but we ask you to kindly consider your purchase as a donation to the Museum. For more information, please email [e-mail] and for refund requests please call [phone].

We look forward to welcoming our visitors back to the Museum as soon as we can. 

Thank you for your continued support – stay well. 

もう一つのTOEIC頻出ネタのrefundにも触れられています。興味深いのは返金ではなく寄付を募っているところ。日本でも公演のキャンセルが社会問題になっていますが、国に助成を頼むのと同時にこのようなお願いをしてもいいのではないでしょうか。

Refunds will be offered if exhibitions are cancelled, but we ask you to kindly consider your purchase as a donation to the Museum.

次は日本で展覧会を開く予定だったロンドンのナショナル・ギャラリーの通知を確認します。ここでも安全を第一にしているという理由をThe safety and wellbeing of our visitors, colleagues and community is paramountとしっかり述べています。こちらの通知ではWe have been open to the public for almost 200 years and welcome visitors 361 days of the year; so, understandably, we are sad to make this decision but it is the right decision at this time.と200年の歴史を踏まえた恨みのようなものも感じられます。。

Coronavirus (COVID-19) update Last updated 18 March 2020

We are closed as a precautionary measure to help contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The safety and wellbeing of our visitors, colleagues and community is paramount, therefore we have decided to temporarily close the Gallery until 4 May 2020, in line with the latest advice from Public Health England.

We have been open to the public for almost 200 years and welcome visitors 361 days of the year; so, understandably, we are sad to make this decision but it is the right decision at this time. We look forward to welcoming you back to the Gallery as soon as we can.

We are in close communication with DCMS and Public Health England as they monitor the rapidly changing situation, and our plan is to re-open the Gallery on 4 May, or as soon after when it is safe to do so. In the meantime, we are ensuring that all our staff are properly supported during this period of closure.

Galleries, museums and their collections are important in these difficult times; they are a source of joy, comfort and inspiration and allow us to reflect on our selves and our times.

While the Gallery is closed in Trafalgar Square, our collection remains open for everyone to explore on the website. And we will continue to share our paintings and their stories through social media and email for you to enjoy regardless of where you are.

こちらの方はどのように美術館が取り組んでいるのか、具体的にわかるようになっていますね。日本で開催予定だった展覧会の告知の方はどうなっているでしょう。国立西洋美術館のサイトを確認してみます。

Announcement of the Extension of the Temporary NMWA Closure as Part of Measures to Prevent Exposure and Halt the Spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

2020.3.13

At the request of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the NMWA has been temporarily closed from 29 February (Sat.) to 16 March (Mon.), 2020, to help prevent exposure and halt the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).The government has requested that we continue these measures and so we have decided to continue this temporary closure for the immediate future. Later announcements will be made on this webpage regarding when the museum will reopen.

We apologize for any inconvenience and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

この淡白な告知を見ると、ほうら日本人は英語ができないから、イギリスの本場のメッセージと比べて事務的なものとなり心がこもっていないではないかと言いたくなりますが、六本木の森美術館の方は英国の博物館と比べて遜色ないメッセージを載せています。やはり姿勢の問題ではないでしょうか。 

[UPDATES] Facilities Now Closed Until Further Notice

2020.3.19 [Thu]

As our preventive measures in light of the imminent spread of new coronavirus, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo City View and Mori Arts Center Gallery have been temporarily closed since Saturday, February 29. It has been one of the utmost measures taken in consideration of health and safety of our patrons and staff members.

We regret to inform you today that we have decided to further extend the period of facility closure, this time until further notice.

Due to this extension, unfortunately, the Special Exhibition: A Railway Story in the Sky (@ Mori Arts Center Gallery & Sky Gallery) will close its curtain without being reopened to public.

We are terribly sorry for all those have been looking forward to visiting, but request your kind understanding and patience. Once the dates and details of our facility reopening are determined, they will be announced on our websites and social media.

Thank you for your attention.

March 19, 2020

Mori Art Museum

Tokyo City View

Mori Arts Center Gallery

ちなみにニューヨークのMOMAもNothing is more important to us than the health and safety of our community. We take seriously our responsibility as a civic institution that serves the public good.から始めるメッセージを載せていますね。

Our community’s health and safety are always top priorities.

Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of our community. We take seriously our responsibility as a civic institution that serves the public good. With that in mind, as it is more and more challenging to predict the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we have decided to temporarily close The Museum of Modern Art, MoMA PS1, and the MoMA Design Stores on 53rd Street and in Soho.

We made this decision in ongoing consultation with public health experts, city and state officials, our peer institutions, and our respective boards. We will close, effective immediately, through March 30, 2020. We will reevaluate the situation at that time.

There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 among our employees. We will continue to post updates about our open status and community health and safety plans.

You can follow and connect with us online and on social media. If you have a question about tickets you purchased in advance, please note that we will honor online ticket orders for up to one year after the date of the ticketed visit. If you need flexibility to reschedule your visit to MoMA beyond that one-year period, we will refund your tickets. If you have other questions, please email [e-mail]. Many of you have asked if our online MoMA Design Store remains open. It is open, should you wish to visit that website.

Thank you for your understanding and for being a part of the MoMA community.

Updated: March 18, 2020

色々みてきましたが、ワシントンのスミソニアン博物館の通知は味気ない素っ気ないものでした。。。ですから日本は・・・・欧米は・・・・という単純化は慎みたいです

All Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C., including the National Zoo, and in New York City are temporarily closed to support the effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. All public programs, events, and tours are canceled through May 3. We are not announcing a re-opening date at this time and will provide updates on a week-to-week basis on social media and our websites.

でも、やはりこのような通知については決断に至った理由や決断のフォロー情報も盛り込むともっとより良いものになるのがわかります。そのような心が通じるコミュニケーションを心がけたいです。