The Dutch cabinet is considering relaxing the coronavirus rules on Saturday June 5 rather than June 9 because of the surge in vaccinations and subsequent drop in hospital admissions, broadcaster NOS reported over the holiday weekend.

If the rumours are accurate, it would mean museums – currently closed because they are indoor locations – would be able to open four days earlier than agreed at the last press conference in May.

In addition, restaurants would be able to serve guests indoors and the recommended number of home visitors would be increased to four.

Regional safety board chiefs are due to meet to discuss the option of earlier reopening on Wednesday.

Museum and gallery chiefs have been campaigning to be allowed to reopen to the public. Anne Demeester director of the Frans Hals museum in Haarlem, told current affairs show Buitenhof last week that art is ‘sex for the brain’, referring indirectly to the fact that sex workers can practise again despite coronavirus but that museums remain shut.

And last week, provincial cultural chiefs wrote to culture minister Ingrid van Engelshoven urging the government to rethink the continuing closure.

‘Theatres, cinemas, stages, concert halls must reopen now,’ they said, arguing that the fact shops are open and cultural institutions are shut cannot be defended any longer.

Holland Festival

Meanwhile, the Holland Festival, a celebration of Dutch theatre, dance and music, will go ahead this year in June, under the auspices of the government’s ‘test for entry’ experiments, the NRC reported on Monday.

This means numbers will be limited and everyone with a ticket will have to show a negative coronavirus test in order to gain admittance, even if they have been fully vaccinated.

The 74th edition of the festival, which runs from June 3, will offer 23 performances at leading venues in Amsterdam, with audiences of between 400 and 200. Tickets go on sale on Wednesday.