You Need a Negative COVID Test or a Vaccination to Get Into Musical Instrument Museum’s Shows

The Musical Instrument Museum has announced it's joining with 17 independent music venues around Arizona in requiring proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a recent negative test result to attend its concerts.

The policy will go into effect on September 1 at the north Phoenix museum, which features performances in its 300-seat music theater. Test results will have to be obtained within 72 hours prior to a concert.

The policy’s start date coincides with the beginning of the MIM’s fall concert season, which will feature more than 50 shows by a number of high-profile artists.

MIM spokesperson Johann Warnholtz told Phoenix New Times over e-mail the move is an attempt to lessen the spread of COVID-19 and its more contagious Delta variant.

“We have been watching the current situation closely and believe this is the right decision for keeping our staff, guests, and community safe at this moment,” he says.

MIM’s policy is similar to new COVID-19 rules being adopted by various prominent Arizona venues – including Crescent Ballroom, The Rebel Lounge, Celebrity Theatre, The Nash, Tempe’s Marquee Theatre, Mesa's Nile Theatre, The Orpheum Theater in Flagstaff, and Tucson's Club Congress – that were announced earlier this month.

Warnholtz says the policy won’t carry over to the rest of the MIM, which already requires social distancing and recommends mask use by patrons.

“We are not applying the vaccination policy to the museum right now because we can ensure that guests are socially distanced during their visit. MIM’s galleries are very large and we can control the number of people in each space. As with the theater, we are encouraging museum guests to wear masks and have masks available for anyone who needs one.”