International Museum Day Around the World, 2009

Last year, International Museum Day garnered record-breaking participation with almost 20,000 museums hosting events in more than 90 countries.

“The worldwide community of museums will celebrate International Museum Day around May 18, 2010, and will, as always, be creative in organizing discovery tours by day or night, atypical visits, workshops and conferences for all kinds of visitors,” said International Council of Museums (ICOM), Museum Day’s sponsor.

“Museums for social harmony" is the theme of this year’s International Museum Day, according to ICOM.

“Harmony is a concept significant for both Humanity and for representing Eastern cultures. The basis of social harmony lies in dialogue, tolerance, coexistence and development, based on pluralism, difference, competition and creativity. Fundamentally social harmony is ‘to agree but to stand out, to look for common ground but to keep the difference.’”

Some notable events in 2009:

In Hamburg, Germany, the Museum for Communication offered tattoos, salsa lessons and readings.

In Cape Town, South Africa, the Museum of Education organized workshops and visits as part of a program for segregated high-school students.

In Botswana, the National Museum of Botswana brought visitors and tourists on guided tours of a route that led to the village of Mogobonye where dance performances took place.

In Spain, one of European countries where the number of participating museums is in the hundreds, museums remained open all night.

The Museum of Macau held a photography workshop. The winners saw their work presented to the general public.

In Nigeria, a Miss Museum 2009 was elected.

Swiss museums developed the theme “Museums and Tourism” to the maximum by offering "passports" to be stamped with "visa" at the entrance of each museum. The museum staff wore T- shirts stating, "I am your travel guide."