The main holiday of the museum community all over the world is traditionally held on May 18. Celebration events can last for one day, weekend, or a whole week. The main thing is that their essence corresponds to the principle: "Museum is a primary tool of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and common ground development, cooperation and peace between people". On this day, museums participating in the celebration carry out activities related to the main topic of the holiday. Every year, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) expert network elaborates the theme of the International Day of Museums.

The 2020^th was unlike any previous year. The Covid-19 crisis has affected the entire world and affected all aspects of our lives - from communicating with loved ones to how we perceive our home, city, and our work. In addition, some of the existing problems have exacerbated, which have brought into question the system of organizing society: appeals for equality are louder today than ever. Museums are no exception: culture has been affected by the crisis more than many other areas.

ICOM and other international organizations have surveyed the situation that had brought about the crisis, the results of which indicate the dire situation for museums and the professionals working there due to the economic, social and psychological consequences of the pandemic - both in the short and long terms. However, this crisis served as a catalyst for critical innovations that were still under development at the time. This becomes even more important with the use of digital technologies, the creation and dissemination of new forms of cultural experience. 2020 was a pivotal moment for our society.

ICOM encourages museums to become leader of change. It is time to reconsider the relationship with the communities that museums cater for, to develop experimental hybrid models of museum activity, and to decisively reaffirm the role of museums in forming up a fair and sustainable future. International Museum Day 2021 is held under the motto "The Future of Museums: Restoration and Renewal".

ICOM invites museums, museum staff and local communities to contrive, create and disseminate new creative practices, business models and innovative solutions to accomplishment of social tasks, economic and environmental issues.

The Museum COLLECTION team congratulates on the holiday everyone who is in one way or another connected with museum activities, as well as to all connoisseurs of culture and art.

The program of the Moscow Museum Week 2021 can be examined  here.

Ref.: https://icom-russia.com/data/events/mezhdunarodnyy-den-muzeev-2021/