Museums, monuments, and palaces are living spaces where history, art and culture come together. To celebrate International Museum Day and the European Night of Museums, these places, which already host exhibitions, guided tours, concerts, workshops, lectures, and many other activities that bring the public closer to heritage, offer a special programme that can be consulted here. Come celebrate with us!
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Together we created a memorable week: thank you!
May 23, 2026
In the aftermath of the Commemorative Week of the International Museum Day (IMD) and the European Night of Museums (ENoM) 2026, we warmly acknowledge the enthusiastic participation of diverse audiences and the dedicated commitment of numerous institutions, whose contributions were decisive to the success of this edition.
The strong level of engagement recorded this year—evident in the diversity, quality, and breadth of the initiatives developed—reflects a shared vision of the role of museums as spaces of public service, inclusion, and dialogue.
The programmes presented demonstrated a consistent focus on audience diversity, the promotion of accessibility, and the creation of genuinely inclusive cultural experiences. In doing so, they made a tangible contribution to bringing to life the 2026 theme - “Museums Uniting a Divided World.” This collective mobilisation shows that, through collaborative work and networking, it is possible to bring communities closer together, value plurality, and reinforce the role of museums as agents of social and cultural cohesion.
As Eduardo Lourenço reminds us, “without memory, there is no future.” It is in this spirit that we must continue to strengthen an increasingly solid, creative, and dynamic partnership, already looking ahead to the preparation of the 2027 edition of the International Museum Day and the European Night of Museums.
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European Night of Museums
May 18, 2026
The European Night of Museums once again transforms museums, monuments, and palaces across the country into spaces for gathering, discovery, and cultural celebration, with dozens of free activities designed for all audiences.
Under the international theme “Museums Bridging Divides,” the MMP programme as well as the programme of the Portuguese Network of Museums invites visitors to experience museums beyond their usual opening hours, through concerts, themed visits, performances, workshops, historical reenactments, and participatory experiences.
Bringing a week of celebrations to a close, the Night of Museums offers countless activities, including after-hours visits to hundreds of venues, reinforcing the role of museums and monuments as vibrant, accessible spaces closely connected to their communities.
Consult the full programme and come visit us!
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Peace Chords
May 3, 2026
The theme proposed by ICOM for 2026, “Museums Uniting a Divided World”, provides the conceptual framework for the celebrations, calling on museums to affirm themselves as spaces for encounter, dialogue, inclusion, and collective creation. Within this context, a symbolic and simultaneous inaugural moment is proposed across the entire MMP network, to take place on Sunday, 17 May, at 4:00 pm, marking the start of the International Museum Day celebrations.
