With free admission today, May 18, and specially designed activities such as educational programs, themed tours, talks, screenings, exhibition openings, experiential workshops, concerts, theatrical performances, and other imaginative events extending beyond this specific date, museums throughout the country are celebrating.

Since 1977, the International Council of Museums, in its effort to highlight the role of museums in modern society, established May 18 as International Museum Day. The message of this anniversary is for museums to become hubs of cultural exchange “with the aim of strengthening education, promoting mutual understanding, peace, and cooperation among peoples.”

Every year, alongside the broader message of the celebration, all member countries of International Council of Museums explore a special theme connected to museums and their role in contemporary society through talks, exhibitions, meetings, and other events. The theme of the 2026 celebration of International Museum Day is “Museums Unite the World.”

On the occasion of the celebration, the Greek branch of International Council of Museums, in addition to organizing a wide range of cultural events throughout May across Greece, honors one or more Greek museums each year, where the central celebration event takes place. This year, International Council of Museums selected the Archaeological Museum of Olympia and the Museum of the History of the Olympic Games of Antiquity as the honored institutions for 2026.