Like every year, the worldwide community of museums will celebrate International Museum Day on and around 18 May 2019. Participation in International Museum Day is growing among museums all over the world. In 2018, more than 40,000 museums participated in the event in some 158 countries.

This year's theme

The International Council of Museums - ICOM selects each year a theme that is at the heart of the concerns of society. 2019 will focus on “Museums as Cultural Hubs: The future of tradition”. The role of museums in society is changing. Museums keep reinventing themselves in their quest for becoming more interactive, audience-focused, community-oriented, flexible, adaptable and mobile agencies. They have become cultural hubs functioning as platforms where creativity combines with knowledge and where visitors can also co-create, share and interact. While preserving their primary missions – collecting, conservation, communication, research, exhibition – museums have transformed their practices to remain closer to the communities they serve. Today they look for innovative ways to tackle contemporary social issues and conflict. By acting locally, museums can also advocate and mitigate global problems, striving to meet the challenges of today’s society proactively. As institutions at the heart of society, museums have the power to establish dialogue between cultures, to build bridges for a peaceful world and to define a sustainable future. As museums increasingly grow into their roles as cultural hubs, they are also finding new ways to honour their collections, their histories and their legacies, creating traditions that will have new meaning for future generations and relevance for an increasingly diverse contemporary audience at a global level. This transformation, which will have a profound impact on museum theory and practice, also forces us to rethink the value of museums and to question the ethical boundaries that define the very nature of our work as museum professionals. At once a focal point for the community and an integral part of a global network, museums offer a platform for translating local communities’ needs and views into a global context.

Background information

The objective of International Museum Day (IMD) is to raise awareness of the fact that museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples. Every 18th of May since 1977, ICOM has organised International Museum Day, promoting events and activities around the world. International Museum Day 2019, which will tackle the same theme as the ICOM General Conference Kyoto 2019, will kick off the global conversation on the role of museums as cultural hubs and the future of tradition. This triannual event has become a worldwide reputed hub for exchange about the topical issues museums tackle today, as well as the most innovative solutions. Early bird registrations are available until 30 April.

How to join and further information

ICOM invites all museums to organise activities around the theme of International Museum Day 2019 next May and to inform about them on the relevant page. You can consult some of the highlights from last year's event for inspiration. For additional information about International Museum Day 2019, please visit http://network.icom.museum/international-museum-day/