International Museum Day is observed on May 18 every year to raise awareness among people about the museums. Museums are an important means of cultural exchange and the development of mutual understanding, cooperation, and peace among people.
International Museum Day is celebrated with the aim of educating the public about museums and the challenges they face. Every year the International Council of Museums (ICOM) comes up with a specific Theme and all activities revolve around the particular topic. A museum is a place that displays collections of documents and historical artefacts of all different kinds from cultures, societies, and nature around the world.
International Museum Day 2022 Theme:
Each year there is a specific theme for International Museum Day. The theme for International Museum Day 2022 is “The Power of Museums”. As per ICOM’s website, the theme focuses on exploring the power of museums to achieve sustainability, to innovate on digitalisation and accessibility, and the power of community building through education.
International Museum Day: History
The idea of having an International Museum Day first surfaced during a meeting called ‘Crusade for Museums,’ organised by ICOM in 1951. However, the resolution for International Museum Day was adopted during ICOM General Assembly in Moscow, in 1977. Since then, it has gained increasing attention. The International Museum Day in 2009 attracted 20,000 museums, hosting events in more than 90 countries.
On this day since 1997, every year all the museums of the world are invited to participate and promote the role of museums in the world by organizing several activities that are focused on the theme.
