Museums around the world will celebrate the 49th International Museum Day on May 18, 2026. The International Council of Museums (ICOM) has announced “Museums Uniting a Divided World” as the official theme for this year’s event. Coinciding with ICOM’s 80th anniversary, the theme carries special historical significance and contemporary relevance.
The world today is undergoing accelerated transformation unseen in a century, and culture, as a bond that rallies the support of the people and pools their strength, is becoming ever more important. Museums, as institutions dedicated to safeguarding and carrying forward human civilization, are likewise assuming an increasingly vital role. This year’s theme highlights the responsibility of museums, in a world shaped by globalization and the coexistence of diverse civilizations, to act as messengers of cultural exchange by bridging divides and building consensus. Through the conservation, interpretation and dissemination of cultural artifacts and heritage, museums can foster mutual understanding and inclusiveness among different regions, peoples and cultures, promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and contribute to building a community with a shared future for humanity.
China’s main celebrations for International Museum Day 2026 will be held in Hohhot in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Source: National Cultural Heritage Administration of China
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