International Museums Day

• 19 May 2021

Why in News

International Museum Day is observed on 18^th May every year to raise awareness among people about the museums.

• 2021 Theme: The Future of Museums: Recover and Reimagine.

Key Points

• History: The Day was instituted in 1977 by the International Council of Museums (ICOM).
• International Council of Museum (ICOM):
  
  • ICOM is a membership association and a non-governmental organisation which establishes professional and ethical standards for museum activities. It is the only global organisation in the museum field.
  • It was created in 1946 and is headquartered in Paris, France.
  • It serves as a network of museum professionals (more than 40,000 members in over 138 countries).
  • The ICOM Red Lists of Cultural Objects at Risk are practical tools to curb the illegal traffic of cultural objects.
    
    • Red Lists present the categories of cultural objects that can be subjected to theft and traffic.
• Administration of Museums in India:
  
  • Multiple ministries hold charges of various Museums.
  • Not all Museums are administered by the Ministry of Culture.
  • Some are run without government support by a handful of people under a Board of Trustees.
  • Related Constitutional Provision:
    
    • Article 49: Protect monuments, places and objects of artistic or historic interest which are declared to be of national importance.
• Initiatives Related to Museums:
  
  • Museum Grant Scheme:
    
    • The Ministry of Culture provides financial assistance under the Scheme to the State Governments and Societies, Autonomous bodies, Local Bodies and Trusts registered under the Societies Act, for setting up new Museums.
    • It also aims to strengthen and modernize the existing museums at the Regional, State and District level.
  • The National Portal and Digital Repository for Indian Museums (under the Ministry of Culture) have been launched for digitisation of the collections of the Museums.

Notable Museums in India

• National Museum, New Delhi (Subordinate Office under the Ministry of Culture).
• National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi
• Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad
• Indian Museum, Kolkata
• Archaeological Survey of India site Museum, Goa
• National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), New Delhi

Source : PIB