It’s that time of year again, when the International Council of Museums sets aside one day to celebrate museums all across the globe.
This year, the 41st Annual International Museum Day (IMD) falls on Friday, May 18th, a day in which you can learn about museum history and appreciate just how important museums are to an informed society.
Last year, there were 36,000 participating museums across 156 countries, visited by countless crowds of people. Our hope is that this year, even more museums and visitors participate.
This Year’s Museum Day Theme
Each IMD has its own unique theme. This year’s theme is “Hyperconnected museums: New approaches, new publics.”
This theme focuses on how museums are becoming more connected with the public through technology to reach new audiences, especially younger generations who may have gone to museums as children in elementary school, but may not be regular patrons on their own.
We’ve seen museums take advantage of new technology during the course of building new, custom museum exhibits for these institutions. The technology being emphasized during this year’s IMD is technology that communicates a message, whether it’s via the Internet or through a digitized display that, in older days, would be a static one.
More interactivity is being built into museum exhibits, too, which is also something to celebrate since it creates a richer experience for visitors.
How You Can Celebrate International Museum Day
The best way to celebrate this occasion is simple: go visit a museum!
There are plenty of fantastic museums out there. Choose some that interest you, but also choose a few that expand your horizons and may not be something you’d ordinarily choose. Challenge yourself by exposing yourself to new horizons and new experiences.
When you visit, take in how each element, big and small, contributes to the museum experience as a whole. Pay attention not just to the information conveyed by the exhibits, but how that information is represented and communicated. You’ll get a deeper, more involved experience that way.
Also, go a step further and invite someone to go with you! Take a friend, family member, or co-worker to visit a museum with you. Better yet, create an outing for your office or home and take a group to a museum. You can even get a guided tour in museums that have them, which will help you get more out of the trip and enjoy it more.
To learn more about the 41st Annual International Museum Day, check out the official press release from the International Council of Museums (ICOM).
Design Display is a custom museum exhibit fabricator that handles every step of the design and fabrication process, from start to finish. Contact us to learn more or to get started on your next project.