Every year since 1977, ICOM has celebrated International Museum Day, a unique event for the international museum community. On this day, participating museums organize events around an annually chosen theme, engaging their visitors and highlighting the importance of the museum as an institution dedicated to the advancement of society.
The theme chosen each year responds to the current needs of society.
In 2023, the theme of International Museum Day is "Museums, Sustainability, and Well-Being". As part of this theme, International Museum Day is intended to be a forum for visitors and museum professionals to speak freely about current social issues.
Museums make an important contribution to the well-being and sustainability 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. There are many ways in which museums can contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals, from supporting action on climate change and inclusion to overcoming social exclusion and promoting mental health.
On 18 May, International Museum Day, ICOM encourages all cultural institutions to talk about ecology and how museums affect our mental and social health. On this day, museums can talk about the history and creators of museum biological collections, share how an object reveals the biodiversity of our planet, or hold educational picnics with visitors in museum parks. Under the theme of mental and social health, we invite museums to talk about examples where art or museum activities have been beneficial to human health.
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Check out previous International Museum Day topics at the active links below:
