International Museum Day

Each year since 1977, International Council of Museums (ICOM) has organised International Museum Day on May 18.

International Museum Day was officially established with the adoption of a resolution during the ICOM General Assembly in Moscow, Russia to create an annual event “with the aim of further unifying the creative aspirations and efforts of museums and drawing the attention of the world public to their activity".

Objective

The objective of International Museum Day (IMD) is to raise awareness about the fact that, “Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples.” 

International Museum Day 2023 “Museums, Sustainability and Wellbeing”

Museums have the power to transform the world around us. As incomparable places of discovery, they teach us about our past and open our minds to new ideas - two essential steps in building a better future.

Museums are key contributors to the wellbeing and to the sustainable development of our communities.

As trusted institutions and important threads in our shared social fabric, they are uniquely placed to create a cascading effect to foster positive change. There are many ways in which museums can contribute to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals: from supporting climate action and fostering inclusivity, to tackling social isolation and improving mental health.

 all museums have a role to play in shaping and creating sustainable futures, and they can do this through educational programmes, exhibitions, community outreach and research.

Each year, the International Museum Day supports a set of Goals from the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. In 2023, we will focus on:

• Goal 3 Global Health and Wellbeing: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, in particular concerning mental health and social isolation.
• Goal 13 Climate Action: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, adopting low-carbon practices in the Global North and mitigation strategies in the Global South.
• Goal 15 Life on Land: Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, amplifying the voices of indigenous leaders and raising awareness on the loss of biodiversity.

Source : International Council of Museums

Celebrations in India

The Ministry of Culture steers the celebration across its museums in the country.

The National Museum (New Delhi), National Gallery of Modern Art (New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru), Allahabad Museum (Prayagraj), Indian Museum (Kolkata), Victoria Memorial Hall (Kolkata), Salar Jung Museum (Hyderabad) and Science cities and centers under National Council of Science Museums (in 24 locations across India) undertake special initiatives to commemmorate the day.

The Ministry of Culture has announced free entry for visitors to all the museums across the country under the Ministry of Culture during the week 16th - 20th May, 2022. 

Source : Ministry of Culture