The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources will close public sites, including museums, aquariums, libraries and The North Carolina Zoo to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The closures, which begin Tuesday, come after Roy Cooper’s executive order banning large gatherings in North Carolina.

“In an abundance of caution, the suspension of public operations will allow the Department the opportunity to assess our facilities to consider possible modifications that could ensure appropriate social distancing,” the department said in a news release Monday night.

North Carolina museums of art, history and natural sciences, including regional museums and state historic sites will close until further notice.

The department will also be closing the State Library of North Carolina, the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped and the State Archives.

The Museum Park at the N.C. Museum of Art will stay open, and visitors there are encouraged to practice social distancing.

State parks’ bathrooms will remain open, but visitor centers will be closed.