Monthlong celebration dedicated to museums, raising awareness of culture and the arts to kick off in May

A monthlong celebration dedicated to museums will run from Friday to May 31 to raise public awareness of their social and cultural roles and expand access to cultural participation, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on Thursday.

A visitor looks at an exhibition at the Gyeongju National Museum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Oct. 27, 2025. [NEWS1]

A monthlong celebration dedicated to museums will run from Friday to May 31 to raise public awareness of their social and cultural roles and expand access to cultural participation, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on Thursday.

Dubbed “2026 Museum Week,” the event coincides with International Museum Day on May 18.

A total of 310 museums are set to participate in the celebration under the theme “Museums uniting a divided world.”

“The theme highlights the role of museums [...] in promoting the value of unity in an increasingly fragmented modern society while exploring their potential as spaces for communication and inclusion,” the Culture Ministry said in a press release.

It will be hosted by the ministry and ICOM Korea and organized by the Korean Museum Association.

Programs will be operated under three sections, the names of which translate to “Museum X Encounter,” “Museum X Enjoy” and “Museum X Stroll.”

Poster for the monthlong celebration dedicated to museums, dubbed ″2026 Museum Week″ [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

Museum × Encounter programs will shed light on the stories behind artifacts and other works at museums nationwide — under a theme that translates to “firsts and beginnings” — and include a range of related events, from lectures to hands-on activities. A total of 50 items from 50 institutions across the country were selected through a public contest last year.

Encounter programs will take place at the Park Eul Bok Embroidery Museum in Gangbuk District, northern Seoul; the Moran Museum of Art in Gyeonggi; and the Korean Minhwa Museum in South Jeolla. Minhwa refers to traditional Korean folk paintings.

Museum × Enjoy programs will encourage cultural participation through opportunities such as exhibitions and performances.

This year, 18 institutions nationwide — including the Jong Ie Nara Paper Art Museum in Jung District, central Seoul, and the Korean Natural History Museum in South Chuncheong — will present 16 special exhibitions and hands-on activities.

Museum × Stroll programs will aim to expand cultural access beyond the greater Seoul area by highlighting museums across different regions.

This year, the Stroll programs will take place in four locations: Seoul; Gongju, South Chungcheong; Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang; and Jeju Island.

“The celebration highlights the new value of museums [...] and showcases their diverse appeal,” said Jung Hyang-mi, the director general of the Culture Policy Bureau at the Culture Ministry. “We hope this will offer many people a chance to rediscover the value of culture and the arts in their daily lives.”

Additional details are available on the event’s official website.

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]