International Museum Day 2024: Theme, Significance, History

International Museum Day (IMD) is a day of global celebration observed every year on 18 May. The day offers an opportunity to raise awareness of the role that museums play in the development of society and the challenges faced by them. Organized and coordinated by the International Council of Museums (ICOM), IMD also promotes dialogue between museum professionals. In this article, you will find complete details such as the celebration, history and significance of International Museum Day 2024.

International Museum Day 2024 Date

Below mentioned are the upcoming dates for International Museum Day for the upcoming 5 years.

Event	Date	Day
International Museum Day 2024	May 18, 2024	Saturday
International Museum Day 2025	May 18, 2025	Sunday
International Museum Day 2026	May 18, 2026	Monday
International Museum Day 2027	May 18, 2027	Tuesday

Overview

Event	International Museum Day 2024
Date	May 18, 2024
Day	Thursday
Declared by	International Council of Museums (ICOM)
Observed by	Worldwide
Purpose of celebration	To raise awareness of the role that museums play in the development of society and the challenges faced by them.
Frequency	Annual

Significance of International Museum Day

Museums all over the world collect, preserve and display objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Museums are not only entertaining but also an enlightening way to learn about the culture, tradition and history of any country. Visiting museums can be beneficial for students who can learn about art, culture, science, technology, etc as per their interest. Museums are the key contributors to the well-being of our communities and create a cascading effect that fosters positive change. Museums also contribute to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by supporting climate action, fostering inclusivity, tackling social isolation and improving mental health. Thus, the importance of museums in our lives is beyond comprehensible. To draw worldwide attention of people on the important role that museum unknowingly plays in everyone’s lives, every year International Museum Day is celebrated on May 18.

History

In 1977, the International Council of Museums adopted a resolution 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.” Following the adoption of the regulation, International Museum Day was also established in the same year and May 18 was chosen as the day for celebration. Thus, the first International Museum Day took place on May 18, 1977. An annual theme for the event was first adopted in 1992 and an international poster was first developed in 1997.

Check other Special National and International Days in the month of May

Celebration

On the occasion of International Museum Day, the ICOM encourages members of society to come together and realize the full potential of museums and their role in sustainable development and well-being of the environment and people. Every year, museums from all over the world are invited to participate in IMD and organize events to promote the role of museums around the world. All the events and activities are organized according to the annual theme decided by the ICOM every year. Thousands of museums from hundreds of countries take part in the celebration of IMD.

As an individual, you can observe this day by visiting local museums and learn about the culture and history of your state or country. Educate others about the importance of museums and encourage them to do so as well. You can also make donations for the development of museums in your region. Post your pictures visiting museums on social media and spread knowledge about this day.

International Museum Day 2024 Theme

The theme for the 2024 International Museum Day celebration is “Museums for Education and Research”. Last year, the theme was “Museums, Sustainability and Well-being”. Check out here the themes for IMD celebrations for the past 5 years.

2022	The Power of Museums
2021	The Future of Museums: Recover and Reimagine
2020	Diversity and Inclusion
2019	Museums as Cultural Hubs: The future of tradition
2018	Hyperconnected Museums: New approaches, new publics

Interesting Facts related to Museums

here are some interesting facts about museums on International Museum Day 2024 that you probably did not know.

1. There are more than 55000 museums in the world.
2. Warley museum is one of the smallest museums in the world.
3. There are museums of SPAM, PEZ candy, potato, salami, mustard, chocolate, banana and ramen.
4. The Louvre, Paris, France is the largest museum on Earth.
5. There are more than 35000 collectibles in The Louvre.
6. In Texas, there is a museum dedicated to barbed wire.
7. Indiana Jones’ fedora hat and bullwhip can both be found in Smithsonian museum.
8. The Museum of Trash, New York collects and displays items thrown away by people in the garbage.
9. The Museum of Alexandria established around 300 BC, was the most famous museum of the ancient world.
10. Museums were originally housed in existing buildings such as palaces or monasteries.

Frequently Asked Questions