MADRID – From Madrid to Barcelona and from Bilbao to Seville, on May 18 every Spanish city is buzzing with festivities for the International Day of Museums. This annual event puts the spotlight on the most diverse forms of art.
Since 1977, the International Committee of Museums (ICOM) has been organising and promoting this annual celebration, intended to explore, preserve, nurture and transmit to society the world’s cultural and natural heritage. Every year a different theme is central, and this year the Day of the Museums focuses on sustainability and well-being.
Free entry
Cities across the country have thrown themselves into this celebration. They want to emphasise the value of the museums under their care. In Madrid, for example, you can enjoy free entry to the Archaeological Museum, the Prado and the Cerralbo. Other highlights include guided tours of the Sorolla Museum and an open day at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.
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Andalucia
Seville joins the festivities with free activities at the Andalucian Centre of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Fine Arts. Visitors to Malaga can enjoy open days at the Carmen Thyssen Malaga and the Pompidou Malaga. Meanwhile the Picasso Museum offers free entry and guided tours.
Even in smaller towns like Soria, residents and visitors can take part in the festivities. Here, for example, a concert of sacred music will take place in the Numantino Museum.
Evening openings
The party continues into the wee small hours in many cases, with several opening nightly, such as the National Museum of Sculpture in Valladolid and the National Museum of Roman Art in Mérida. There are even children’s workshops and a nightly “escape room” organised by the National Museum of Underwater Archeology ARQVA in Cartagena.
Celebrate the art
In short, every Spanish city, large or small, today celebrates the country’s cultural heritage. Each venue not only opens its doors for free, but also offers numerous activities, lectures, tours and experiences to mark this Day of the Museums. And this year they do so with a special focus on sustainability. It is a day to celebrate art and enjoy all the beauty that these venues have to offer.
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