International Museum Day 2022

National Museum New Delhi would be celebrating International Museum Day 2022 for five day from 16^th May to 20^th May.

What is International Museum Day?

• International Museum day is an event run by the International Council of Museums (ICOM).
• Although it began officially in 1977, it can be traced back to 1951 to a meeting called the Crusade for Museums. The ICOM state their mission as:
• "The research, conservation, continuation and communication to society of the world’s natural and cultural heritage, present and future, tangible and intangible."
• The participating museums plan events and exhibitions in accordance with a different theme each year. The theme in 2022 is 'The Power of Museums'.
• The event is a yearly celebration of the role of museums in our society and aims to engage the public with lots of interesting and creative activities.
• It also provides a platform to raise awareness of any topics or issues that the museums feel are important. 
• In 2021, the celebration amplified its impact by the development of hybrid activities all around the world, reaching 89 million Internet users through social media, news articles, blog posts, podcasts and more!

What is a museum?

• A museum is a place that displays collections of documents and historical artefacts of all different kinds from cultures, societies and nature around the world.
• Different museums may focus on different things.
• Famous museums around the world:
  • British Museum, London
  • Guggenheim Museum, New York
  • Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
  • Museo Larco, Lima
  • The Acropolis Museum, Athens
    

ICOM – International Council of Museums:

• The International Council of Museums is the only global museum association in the world.
• It provides museums and museum professionals with national, regional and international platforms of dialogue and exchange of ethical standards and innovative practices.
• Since its creation in 1946, ICOM is committed to the protection and promotion of museums and the heritage with which they are entrusted; natural and cultural, present and future, tangible and intangible.
• It also advocates the crucial role they play in the sustainable development of societies as unique sources of information, inspiration and insight.

National Museum in Delhi:

• The blueprint for establishing the National Museum in Delhi was prepared by the Maurice Gwyer Committee in May 1946.
• An Exhibition of Indian Art, consisting of selected artefacts from various museums of India was organized by the Royal Academy, London with the cooperation of Government of India and Britain.
• The Exhibition went on display in the galleries of Burlington House, London during the winter months of 1947-48.
• It was decided to display the same collection in Delhi, before the return of exhibits to their respective museums.
• An exhibition was organized in the the Rashtrapati Bhawan (President's residence), New Delhi in 1949, which turned out to be a great success. This event proved responsible for the creation of the National Museum.
• The National Museum was initially looked after by the Director General of Archaeology until 1957, when the Ministry of Education, Government of India, declared it a separate institution and placed it under its own direct control.
• At present, the National Museum is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.