Medical workers around the world are in urgent need of protective medical gear, such as face masks and surgical gloves. Museums often have these materials on hand to handle collections. Conservators at the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum are collecting and distributing these items to health care workers in the Netherlands.

“But in the meantime, horror stories are emerging of hospital workers going without necessary medical gear, or even resorting to jerry-rigging their own items out of office supplies.”