The Contemporary Arts Museum Houston has pushed back its planned reopening about a month, citing rising local cases of COVID-19.

The new opening date is Feb. 18.

"Since the beginning of the pandemic, the safety of our team and public have remained our first priority. By many measures, the last couple of weeks in Houston have been the worst since the onset of the pandemic. The average positivity rate in Harris County is currently 20%, and nearly 50,000 people have tested positive in the last two weeks," CAMH Executive Director Hesse McGraw wrote in an email announcement.

The museum has been closed since March 16, though it used the downtime to complete interior renovations. The CAMH had originally planned to reopen Jan. 21, unveiling a new exhibit, "Wild Life," featuring the playful, disjointed works of both painter Elizabeth Murray and sculptor Jessi Reaves. The museum also plans to resume its "Slowed and Throwed" exhibit, featuring photography and new media stemming from the legacy of Houston's DJ Screw.

When it opens, museum hours will be noon-6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Admission is free.