OVER 20 MUSEUMS JOINTLY HOST ‘MACAO INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY CARNIVAL 2026’ 

In celebration of this year’s International Museum Day, more than 20 museums in Macau will jointly host the “Macao International Museum Day Carnival 2026” at the Lotus Square, Bairro da Ilha Verde tomorrow, according to the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC). 

The event will be held from 2 pm to 6 pm, featuring performances, booth games, workshops, as well as an exhibition of outstanding entries from the “2026 Macao International Museum Day Joint Museums Postcard Design Contest”. 

In addition, the museums will be open to the public at designated times during the month of May for free. 

Commemorated every 18 May, the International Council of Museums (ICOM)-designated “International Museum Day” aims to draw the public attention to museums, while promoting the continuous development of the museology sector. 

This year’s theme is “Museums Uniting a Divided World”, emphasising that museums can link different cultures, bridge divides, promote mutual understanding and respect and strengthen social cohesion.

To tie in with this year’s theme, museums will host celebratory activities including exhibitions and workshops, including the “VIEW INTO THE GREAT HAN – The Exhibition of Exquisite Cultural Relics from Han Dynasty in Xuzhou” at the Macao Museum, the parent-child picture book and music experience activity “The Musical Journey of Xian Xinghai”, the educational puzzle-solving game “Escape the Museum Cosmos”, and the “Listening to Mountains, Admiring Waters: Wander through the Paintings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties” – theatrical guided tour of Duet of Nature at the Macao Museum of Art (MAM). 

There will also be the “Let’s Glow! Racing Neon Sign Workshop” at the Macao Grand Prix Museum, the “Exhibition of the History and Research Achievements of the University of Macau” at the University Gallery – University of Macau, the commemorative exhibition “Guiding for Centuries: Exhibition of 160^th Anniversary of the Guia Lighthouse and 10^th Anniversary of Maritime District Management” at the Maritime Museum, the special exhibition “Deep Sea Garden” with guided theatrical tour and the “Introduction to AI-Driven No-Code Workflow Design” at the Macao Science Center (MSC), the workshop on “Youth Storytelling & Seniors’ Crafts: Passing on Kindness Across Generations” at the Tung Sin Tong Historical Archive Exhibition Hall, as well as the exhibition “Silk Roads Beyond Borders” at the POLY MGM MUSEUM. 

For more information about the activities and registration methods, visit www.museums.gov.mo.

Meanwhile, the Kiang Wu History Museum was inscribed in the fourth list of the National Memorial Facilities and Sites of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression last year. In order to allow residents and tourists to further understand the historical testimony of Macau’s support to the War of Resistance, the museum has adjusted its opening hours from 19 May. It is now open from Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 10 am to 6 pm, and is closed on public holidays. Admission is free. Guided tours are available on Saturdays, from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

The “Macao International Museum Day Carnival 2026” is jointly organised by the Former Chong Sai Pharmacy, Museum of Sacred Art and Crypt, Tung Sin Tong Historical Archive Exhibition Hall, Heritage Exhibition of a Traditional Pawnshop Business, Xian Xinghai Memorial Museum, St. Dominic’s Church Museum – Treasure of Sacred Art, POLY MGM MUSEUM, Fire Services Museum, Maritime Museum, Communications Museum of Macao, General Ye Ting’s Former Residence, Museum of Taipa and Coloane History, Zheng Guanying Memorial Museum, University Gallery – University of Macau, Museum of Art of the University of Macau, Macao Grand Prix Museum, House of Macao Literature, Handover Gifts Museum of Macao, Lin Zexu Memorial Museum of Macao, Museum of the Macao Security Forces, Macao Science Center, Macao Museum, Macao Museum of Art, Taipa Houses, Kiang Wu History Museum and Jao Tsung-I Academy.

Source and Image: IC