International Museum Day - 18th May, 1999

" Pleasures of Discovery"

On the 18th of May 1999 museums throughout the world will be celebrating
International Museum Day with the theme "Pleasures of Discovery".

In its definition in the ICOM Statutes a museum is a non-profit making,
permanent institution in the service of society and of its development,
and open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches,
communicates and exhibits, for purposes of study, education and
enjoyment, material evidence of people and their environment.

This year ICOM members would like to highlight the idea of enjoyment and
have therefore chosen "Pleasures of Discovery" as the theme for
International Museum Day 1999. Indeed, while the museum is a place where
you acquire knowledge, it is also a place for leisure and entertainment
that should provide pleasure for all ages and where all our senses
should be awakened.

Jacques Perot, the President of ICOM, stresses the fact that exploring a
museum should also include an element of play. We should feel the same
excitement as when starting out on a journey where every object and
testimony bring to light phenomena that are new and unknown".

The museum as a learning tool calls upon our sensitivity and our
feelings, and enables us to understand the world in which we live as we
set out to discover ourselves, our technical, scientific and natural
environment and that of the living beings around us, as well as the
discovery of the other in terms of time and space.

A visit to a museum, whether it be devoted to art , science,
ethnography, archaeology, etc., should be like an outing where the
pleasures of discovery are one of the essential attractions. And so the
1999 theme should gain public support as it offers all kinds of museums
the opportunity to convince reticent visitors that museums are indeed
places for enjoyment and discovery.

Every year more and more ICOM members take the initiative to celebrate
International Museum Day. The event is proving to be a great success not
only with professionals but also with the public.

More information : http://www.icom.org/imd99.html

Valerie Jullien
Communication Officer / Responsable de la Communication
ICOM Secretariat


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