International Museum Day
As we already know, International Museum Day is organised on 18 May each year or around this date.
The events and activities planned to celebrate International Museum Day can last a day, a weekend or an entire week.
IMD was celebrated for the first time 40 years ago. All around the world, more and more museums participate in International Museum Day. Last year, more than 37,000 museums participated in the event in about 158 countries and territories.
- Theme 2024:
"Museums for Education and Research".
This year's theme, "Museums for Education and Research", underscore the pivotal role of cultural institutions in providing a holistic educational experience.
This day pushes for more conscious, sustainable and inclusive world.
credit: iStock
https://www.awarenessdays.com/
Museums are vital venues for cultural exchange and enrichment, as well as for the development of peaceful coexistence and cooperation among nations and communities.
This day or entire weekend or week encourages people and students to visit museums dedicated to many fields of human endeavor such as agriculture, fashion, astronomy, archaeology, art, and natural history.
The day also draw attention to traditional educational activities that are hosted by museums, such as school visits, guided tours and workshops.
Together, let us embark on a journey to museums and learn about our historic past.
- Education:
For IMD 2024 ICOM invite people, teachers, parents, students, universities and schools to rethink education and imagine a future where knowledge sharing transcends barriers, where innovation unites with tradition.
Their function in terms of social inclusion is also vital to help keep societies together, and they play a major role in the creative and civics education.
The authors also draw attention to traditional educational activities that are hosted by museums, such as school visits, guided tours and workshops.
Don't forget as well virtual guided tours that some museums offer to teachers and students because many museums worldwide are forced to close their doors.
Young people are visiting more and more the museums. Teachers could be good guides to help young people to enjoy Museums live or virtual visits.
- Visit a museum with your students. Please read Uma Aula no Museu (Portuguese language) an interesting pedagogical project developing creative writing and artistic skills through Portuguese painter Paula Rego: cross-curricular project Languages, Arts, History, Music, IT;
- Include Museum events into your school curriculum. Invite your students to a school visit a museum;
- Ask every student to choose a painting or sculpture, some chef-d'oeuvre from the the different views at the a museum to get inspiration to write creative stories and drawing some interesting works;
- Explore a virtual school exchange to develop during the cultural week;
- Explore virtual museum tours. Invite your students to spend some time enjoying Google Arts & Culture, Google Street Art;
- Visit different exhibitions at international museums using apps: For example Musée des Arts et Métiers (Paris); Thyssen Museum (Madrid); Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam); Art Legacy, bringing art to life;
- Or virtual tours Museu Nacional dos Coches (Lisbon); Museu Serralves Museu Serralves (Porto); Museu da Música (Lisboa); Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (Washington);
- Another activity could be a #selfie at the Museum. During a visit to a Museum near your school, invite the students to snap selfies with an artefact of their choice to a project at school,
credit: Wikimedia
- Resources:
The Wikimedia movement is celebrating International Museum Day by enhancing information about museums around the world and representing this year’s theme: Museums for Education and Research. Individual Wikimedians, affiliates, and user groups, are invited to respond to three challenges to increase museum coverage on Wikimedia: translation, media, and data.
Download Poster:
If teachers and schools or other wish to use the poster in a language that is not available, please contact your ICOM National Committee or complete the form below.
Check the IMD 2024 toolkit
Hashtags: #IMD2024; #InternationalMuseumDay2024; #MuseumsForEducation; #MuseumsForResearch.
