In the art world, cultural spaces come alive with discovery for Museum Day. This annual event, celebrated all over the world, is much more than just a visit to a gallery. It is about celebrating the richness of history, art, and human creativity uniquely. In our article today, we discover the activities you can enjoy on this May 18, 2024. From guided tours to interactive workshops to talks with experts and cultural events.
Why is World Museum Day celebrated?
International Museum Day has been celebrated every May 18 since 1977, promoted by the International Council of Museums (ICOM). This celebration aims to raise public awareness about the role of museums in the development of society and in promoting intercultural understanding.
Museums play a fundamental role as guardians of cultural heritage and as spaces for education, research, and recreation. Museum Day offers an opportunity to highlight the importance of these places in the preservation and dissemination of history, art, and culture, as well as to encourage active public participation in their activities.
Every year, ICOM chooses a central theme for International Museum Day, which serves as a starting point for reflecting on different aspects of museum work and its relevance in contemporary society. This year’s theme, “ Museums for Education and Research”, underlines the fundamental role of cultural institutions in providing a holistic educational experience. This day advocates for a more conscious, sustainable, and inclusive world.
What activities are celebrated on World Museum Day?
The whole world is an ambassador for International Museum Day. In addition to the activities they plan, their participation in International Museum Day is an opportunity to:
Partner with schools, associations, libraries, other museums, etc. to promote your event and strengthen your ties with organizations with similar goals; Advocate for the position of museums in our societies via way of means of informing local, nearby, and countrywide government approximately their sports and why they may be critical to the overall public;
Disseminate information about International Museum Day through local press, social media, and website; Gain global visibility on your sports through sharing facts approximately your International Museum Day occasions with ICOM, permitting us to unfold the information throughout our community and beyond.
Do you want to know the different activities for World Museum Day that will take place in three important cities? We will tell you about them below.
Archaeological Museum of Madrid
On Saturday, May 18, we will be able to visit the Archaeological Museum of Madrid for free from 9:30 a.m . to 8:00 p.m . and also enjoy several very special activities:
When I grow up I want to be an archaeologist – a workshop for families with children aged 8 to 12. You must register on their website.
Anima Ferrante ArteSonado – free concert at 18:00. Tickets can be collected at the box office 1 hour before the start.
Activities for Museum Day in Mexico City
To celebrate this date, we tell you which museums have joined in this celebration and what activities will be carried out. The National Museum of San Carlos will carry out the following activities:
Artistic expression workshops that seek to develop creativity and build elements of heritage appreciation. Aimed at girls and boys from 11 a.m . to 2 p.m.
Induction to an aesthetic experience through the use of perceptual languages around sculptures from the collection for people with visual disabilities. Aimed at people with visual disabilities from 11 a.m . to 1 p.m.
Workshop to raise awareness about the care of the Tabacalera garden, through painting and other artistic practices. Aimed at all audiences, noon.
A tour of the exhibition Time for Work, play, and Leisure, where the visitor actively participates to generate a dialogue with the mediator and the works. Open to the general public from 11 a.m . to 1 p.m . and 4 p.m.
A tour of the halls of San Carlos to discover the history of the complex from the end of the 18th century to the present day. Open to the general public from 12 noon to 2 pm.
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Night of the Museums in Barcelona
The night of Saturday 18 May will be a unique evening in the city, as museums, designed to be visited during the day, will open their doors until late. In addition, many of them organize activities that go beyond their exhibitions and collections: concerts, workshops, performances, maps… In addition, this year the Night of the Museums coincides with International Museum Day. For this reason, the following activities will be carried out:
Roman aqueduct. Barcelona Archaeology Service
Vuit de Març, s/n. Barcelona. Guided tour: to Plaça Vuit de Març, explanation of the aqueduct and how water was brought to the city. The itinerary continues to Casa de l’Ardiaca, followed by the Historical Archive of the City of Barcelona, with a final explanation of the Species. Barcelona Photographic Archive. Pl. Pons i Clerch, 2, 2n. Barcelona. Doors open to the exhibition “Photography by artists. The collection of the illustrator Josep Lluís Pellicer”, which shows 170 photographs of the thousands that this painter and illustrator collected throughout his career. As part of the exhibition, Victoria (voice and guitar) and Yago Pajarón (guitar) will be the protagonists of a jazz concert on a journey through Latin culture. Historical Archive of the City of Barcelona. Santa Lucía, 1. Barcelona. You will find the exhibition “Drawing a Nation. Heraldry in Domènech i Montaner” and you will be able to see the Roman remains in the lobby.
Barça Immersive Tour. Av. Arístides Maillol, s/n. Barcelona. Enter a new 100% interactive museum where you can travel to the past, present, and future of Barça through historic moments, legendary players, and triumphs that are part of the collective imagination.
Arús Public Library Pg. Sant Joan, 26. Barcelona. You can visit rooms that are normally closed to the public and visit the exhibition “Three 19th Century Barcelonans: Clavé, Pi i Margall i Balaguer, between Federal Republicanism and Liberalism.
How to organize an activity for Museum Day?
To carry out a special activity on the occasion of International Museum Day 2024, it is advisable to follow five fundamental steps:
Identify a specific audience: Whether your usual audience or a new group, it is important to target a specific segment, such as children, seniors, or a minority within the community.
Set clear objectives: Define what you hope to achieve with the activity, whether it is reaching new audiences, highlighting community participation, gaining recognition from public authorities, or making the institution known to potential collaborators.
Forge institutional alliances: Take the opportunity of International Museum Day to establish partnerships and sponsorships at the local, national, or international level, covering aspects ranging from collections to mediation or funding.
Participate in an international campaign: Register your event on an interactive International Museum Day map and use social media to join museums around the world in celebrating.
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