International Museum Day May 18, 2026

You walk into a museum, and suddenly time shifts. A fossil hints at life millions of years ago. A gemstone reflects geological change you can"t see. That sense of connection is exactly what International Museum Day, created in 1977 by the International Council of Museums, aims to celebrate.

© Colm Keating/Tandem Stills + Motion

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Today in History

Sunlight turning silver to gold
This museum sets the prairie on fire
May 18, 2024International Museum Day
May 18, 2025International Museum Day

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