New York (AFP)

Visitors with arms raised in victory, applause, and queuing at the counters: the Metropolitan Museum reopened its doors to the public on Saturday in a festive atmosphere, a sign for many that the first American metropolis is coming back to life after nearly six months in slow motion due to pandemic.

"I am a huge fan of museums, and absolutely delighted to be here. This is a really important moment for the city, everything is starting to come to life," Michelle Scully, 39, who was part of the company told AFP. the first New Yorkers to return to the imposing 5th Avenue building on the edge of Central Park.

New York is "the best city in the world, and we are here, we are not leaving: it will become even better than before," she added.

With several hundred people, this Canadian of origin lined up as soon as it opened at 10 a.m., complying with the new sanitary rules with a smile: wearing a mask, taking the temperature, booking a time slot, and meaning of compulsory visit to see the Temple of Dendur and all the treasures, ranging from ancient Egypt to contemporary art, of this museum among the most visited in the world.

- "First step"

Everywhere, the joy was perceptible: Chris Martinetti, 34, and his wife, from the district of Queens, found "their favorite place", the museum where they first met more than five years ago.

Tracy-Ann Samuel had come from neighboring Connecticut with her daughters aged four and nine, eager to be "surrounded by beautiful works of art" again, "therapy for the soul."

"This means that there is a semblance of normality. The Met has been part of New York history for 150 years (...), it is an important first step", she underlined.

The Met had been chomping at the bit for weeks, watching its big European counterparts, such as the Louvre, reopen their doors.

After New York recorded a record number of more than 23,600 deaths, especially in the spring, New York authorities have become a model of caution and control of the pandemic. It is only since this week that museums - such as MoMA on Thursday - have been allowed to reopen, with a capacity limited to 25%.

Met officials have used this time to learn from their colleagues and are calm about a possible "second wave".

"We listen to what is happening elsewhere, and we know that (reopening) safely is not that difficult," Daniel Weiss, president of the museum, told AFP.

- "More inclusive"

They also had time to adapt to the vast movement against social inequalities that has agitated the United States since the death of George Floyd at the end of May: a new exhibition is devoted to the black American artist Jacob Lawrence (1917-2000) , reflecting a "more inclusive" museum, according to Mr. Weiss.

The shortfall for this institution which depends more than the European museums on entrance ticket receipts and was to celebrate its 150th anniversary with great fanfare in April, is nevertheless "very substantial": some 150 million dollars lost over 18 months , he said.

With the disappearance of tourist coaches, the museum had to reduce its expenses and let go of nearly 20% of its 2,000 pre-pandemic employees.

And the capacity limitations - 7,000 to 10,000 people were expected this Saturday, compared to 30,000 to 40,000 on a "normal" Saturday in August - could last for months.

But the Met "will get away with it because we are a big institution, I'm much more worried about the small ones," says Weiss.

And if some see the future in black - citing the exodus of thousands of affluent New Yorkers or the desertion of business districts as so many signs that New York is "finished", he is convinced, like many, that the city will rebound.

From the September 11, 2001 attacks to Hurricane Sandy of 2012 and the financial crisis of 2008, "New York has seen more," he said.

"Everyone wants to see the tourists coming back (...) When that happens, we'll be ready."

cat / dax

© 2020 AFP