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The closure was implemented after NY Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that they were banning gatherings of more than 500 people in the state of New York. This decision was to slow the spread of coronavirus by social distancing.

The Metropolitan Museum press release can be viewed below:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art will temporarily close all three locations—The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters—starting tomorrow, March 13, to support New York City’s effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. The Museum will undertake a thorough cleaning and plans to announce next steps early next week.

The Met’s priority is to protect and support our visitors, staff, and volunteers, and we have been taking several proactive precautionary measures, including discouraging travel to affected areas, implementing rigorous cleaning routines, and staying in close communication with New York City health officials and the Centers for Disease Control. While we don’t have any confirmed cases connected to the Museum, 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 while maintaining the cleanest environment possible. We look forward to soon announcing when we’ll be able to welcome our staff and visitors back to the Museum.

Source: https://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-met/policies-and-documents/covid-19-health-and-safety-updates