International Museum Day

International Museum Day is celebrated every year on May 18 to raise awareness about the importance of museums in spreading cultural knowledge across communities and to develop a feeling of mutual understanding among people. 

Museum comes from the Greek word mouseion, which means “the seat of Muses”. Originally, museums were created as a place for people to sit and contemplate. Over time, museums have become an institution to preserve cultural and historical artifacts or materials for the public and future generations to see, understand and document. Some people indulge in the study of museums, which is called museology. It explores the history of museums, the role they play in society, how they impart knowledge and educate people about different communities, heritages and histories.  

International Museum Day was started in 1977 by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) to promote the social importance of museums all around the world. Every year they provide a theme for International Museum Day. This year’s theme is Museums, Sustainability and Well-being. On this day, many people visit nearby museums to celebrate the day. As of now, there are around 104 thousand museums in the world, with the United States being the country with the highest number of museums.