International Museum Day, Macao – “Museums and Tourism”

After its proclamation on 18th May 1977, the International Council of Museums designated 18th May as the International Museum Day. This date has been celebrated by many museums around the world. Since 2000, the museums in Macao have taken the initiative to promote International Museum Day as proposed by the International Council of Museums and held celebrations according to the specific theme designated for each year. This year’s theme is “Museums and Tourism” and, indeed, the museums in Macao will work tirelessly together to contribute to the society, the culture and tourism. To celebrate the annual International Museum Day on 18 May, admission to all the museums in Macao will be free from 16th May (Saturday) to 18th May (Monday). Each museum will prepare a series of special features and promotional activities in May, including seminars, thematic exhibitions and workshop, etc. in order to let Macao citizens feel the unlimited power of the museums to the society. For details of free admission and special activities, please visit the portal of The Museums of Macao (http://www.museums.gov.mo). One of the most important celebrations this year is “The Museum Fair of Macao, Hong Kong and Guangdong Province 2009” at the Cultural Center Plaza from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on 3rd May. Museums from the Guangdong Province and Hong Kong were invited to participate and attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony that will be held at 15:00. In addition to several exhibitions and booth games, there will be many types of comprehensive performances arranged for the visitors to quickly experience the characteristics of the museums from the Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao simultaneously. There will be dynamic shows with great variety, including music, dancing, and Cantonese pop singers for the whole afternoon. There will be also lucky draws with rich and attractive prizes, including cultural trips, net books, digital cameras, book coupons, USB thumb drives, Taiwan round-trip air tickets sponsored by TransAsia Airways. Macao Post will issue a commemorative envelope for free distribution to the public and provide commemorative cancellation service for stamp collectors at the Temporary Postal Counter from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Another activity jointly organized by all the museums in Macao and the Macao Digital Photography Association, the Exhibition of ‘Museums and Tourism’ Photography Competition, has received more than 100 entries. The 40 best entries selected by the judging panel will be awarded and showcased in the gallery on the Ground Floor of the Macao Museum of Art. Through this activity, the organizers hope to transmit the message of the International Museum Day and to reveal to visitors the city’s unbounded affection and respect for the museums through the lenses of the talented candidates. The organizers of the celebrations of International Museum Day 2009 are: Communications Museum of Macao, Dr. Sun Iat Sen’s Memorial House in Macau, Fire Services Museum, Grand Prix Museum, Handover Gifts Museum of Macao, Heritage Exhibition of a Traditional Pawnshop Business, Lin Zexu Memorial Museum of Macao, Macao Museum, Macao Museum of Art, Macao Science Center, Macao Tea Culture House, Maritime Museum, Museum of the Holy House of Mercy, Museum of the Macao Security Forces, Museum of Sacred Art and Crypt, Museum of Taipa and Coloane History, The Natural and Agrarian Museum, The Taipa Houses-Museum, Treasure of Sacred Art and Wine Museum.