By Emily Horn, DOMA Social Media Assistant

May 18th is International Museum Day!

The International Council of Museums (ICOM) created International Museum Day in 1977 with the objective 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.” 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.

The organisation chooses a different theme for the day and coordinates every year. This year’s theme, “Museums as Cultural Hubs: The future of tradition,” focuses on how the role of museums in society is ever changing. On its website, ICOM writes “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.”

Come celebrate International Museum Day at DOMA with Art in Bloom Public Exhibition & Tours this Saturday & Sunday from 1:30 – 4:30 pm with a docent tour at 2:30 pm!