Every year on May 18, museum workers from different countries celebrate their professional holiday — International Museum Day. And, of course, all those who are looking forward to the next trip to the local history museum of their city or meeting rare exhibits of the Hermitage or the Louvre are also involved in today’s holiday.
It appeared on the calendar in 1977, when at the next meeting of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), a proposal from a Russian organization to establish this cultural holiday was accepted. Since 1978, International Museum Day began to be celebrated around the world.
As defined by ICOM, museums are institutions at the service of society and its development. And ICOM itself, created in 1946, is a — world organization representing museums and museum professionals. Its activities are aimed at protecting and popularizing the natural and cultural heritage — of the past and future, material and intangible. Today, 49 thousand members from more than 140 countries of the world are members of this organization.
According to Jacques Perot, ex-president of ICOM, « museums should take a place in the heart of society and be open to the public. The development of our institutions depends to a large extent on the help of the public, and we must offer them the opportunity to support our goals and participate in our work. Thus, it is necessary for museums and society to work together, in the spirit of creativity and innovation».
It is generally accepted that through museums society expresses its attitude towards historical and cultural heritage, and it is difficult to disagree with this. By collecting and storing monuments of material and spiritual culture, museums carry out extensive scientific, educational and educational work. As incomparable places of discovery, they teach us our past and open our minds to new ideas — are two important steps in building a better future.
Every year since 1992, the holiday has its own specific theme dedicated to issues of museum activities, for example, such as the illegal export of museum valuables, the role of museums in improving the culture of society and many others. Thus, among the topics of the last decade there were slogans: «Museums and tourism», «Museums in the name of social harmony», «Museums and Memory», «Museum collections unite», «Museums and sustainable development of society», «Museums and cultural landscapes», «Museums and controversial history: we talk about the complex in museums», «Museums in the era of hypercommunication: new approaches, new audiences», «Museums as centers of culture: the future of tradition», «Museum as a space of equal opportunities: diversity and inclusion» and others.
2020 was unlike any previous year. The COVID-19 crisis has affected the entire world and affected every aspect of society. Museums were no exception: culture was affected by the crisis more than many other areas. Research conducted by ICOM and other international organizations shows the dire situation for museums and their professionals due to the economic, social and psychological consequences of the — pandemic in both the short and long term. But at the same time, this crisis also served as a catalyst for the most important innovations that were under development until that time. This is especially true for the use of digital technologies, the creation and dissemination of new forms of cultural experience. Therefore, the theme of Museum Day in 2021 was the words: «The future of museums: restoration and renewal», and in 2022 — «The power of museums».
Museums make an important contribution to the well-being and sustainable development of our communities. People trust museums, see them as a pillar of social life, and this makes them a potential conduit for cascading positive change. Therefore, the theme of the Day 2023 is — «Museums, sustainability and well-being».
Vorontsov Palace, Alupka Palace and Park Museum-Reserve, Crimea (Photo: Pagina, licensed from Shutterstock.com)
On the holiday itself, many museums around the world open their doors to everyone completely free of charge, preparing new exhibitions, thematic lectures, excursions, and scientific readings. Currently, more than 20,000 museums around the world celebrate this holiday.
Often, thematic festivals are timed to coincide with this important cultural event, the most famous of which is — «Night of Museums», which has become very popular in recent years. It is held in many cities around the world, usually on the night from Saturday to Sunday closest to May 18.
Festive events can last one day, weekend or a whole week. The main thing is that their essence corresponds to the principle: «Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and the development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace between people».
• Infographics — poster «International Museum Day»
• Story «Spirit of Stolypin»