Drinking beef soup while reciting ancient poetry — The 518 International Museum Day offers a rich variety of themed activities

▲The National Museum of Taiwan Literature held a Tainan city exploration activity, using the relationship between local snacks like beef soup and traditional literature to help the public learn more about Tainan. (Photo / Reporter You t
ru)

Reported by Chen Rui-zhong / Taipei

In response to the 518 International Museum Day organized by the International Council of Museums, the Ministry of Culture, in coordination with the Ministry of Education, the National Palace Museum, and 159 museums across Taiwan, jointly organized a variety of related “Museum Adventure Tour” activities from May 1 to May 30, allowing the public to explore museums throughout the month of May.

This year’s 518 International Museum Day theme is “Museums and Social Sustainability,” which calls on museums to leverage their social influence and, through educational and exhibition activities, raise public awareness about issues such as Earth’s resources and ecosystems.

▲The press conference for this year’s 518 International Museum Day used the concept of irrigation to introduce the theme of “Museums and Social Sustainability.”

There are currently 746 museums across Taiwan, covering not only common historical themes but also various topics such as natural ecology and humanities. The Ministry of Culture stated that to help the public better understand the significance of International Museum Day, the single-day event has been expanded to a full month; participating museums have also introduced various initiatives such as ticket discounts and special themed activities. The Ministry of Culture has also launched two major activities: Museum Bingo and a Museum One-Day Trip Collection, with participants eligible to receive small commemorative gifts.

Additionally, within the Little

▲A total of 159 museums across Taiwan have joined in the celebration of International Museum Day on May 18 this year. (Photo / Sanxia History Museum, provided by New Taipei City Government)

The director of the National Museum of Taiwan Literature in TainanWeng Zhicongnoted that Tainan boasts a rich variety of local delicacies, many of which have deep historical roots and have also appeared in numerous literary works and poems. As such,the National Museum of Taiwan Literature has launched the "Exploring Tainan" activity and accompanying guidebook, allowing the public to discover traditional Tainan dishes such as danzai noodles, milkfish, cuttlefish roe, and beef soup through literature,and to gain a deeper understanding of the city’s cultural history through firsthand exploration.

▲A special micro-exhibition themed around the event is also being held at the National Taiwan Museum’s Nangang branch.

Additionally, Xue Yanling, head of the Collection Management Division at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts,also mentioned that Lin Yushan’s artwork "Lotus Pond," currently housed in the museum’s collection, was officially designated as Taiwan’s first national treasure-level two-dimensional artwork on May 7. The public can visit during the International Museum Day events this May and embark on an art and culture journey.also noted that the currently housed work by Lin Yushan, "Lotus Pond," was officially designated as the first piece of national treasure-level flat art on May 7. The public can take advantage of the International Museum Day events in May to visit and plan an arts and culture trip.