Since 2011, ICOM has been sponsoring the European Night of Museums, which is held every year on the Saturday closest to the International Museum Day. In 2013, both events will coincide since the European night of Museums will take place on Saturday 18 May, at the same time as the International Museum Day.

 

The European Night of Museums was created in 2005 by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication. On this occasion, the closing time of the museums is postponed to approximately one in the morning, which allows the public to visit the participating museums by night, for free.

By welcoming the public during the night, museums invite them to visit the collections in a different, unusual and more sensory way. Many animations are offered during this event which is attended by numerous young people and families. The public participates in great numbers to this festive event: last year, two million visitors took part in the European Night of Museums in France.

 

The Council of Europe and UNESCO are also sponsoring the event. The French Federation of Societies of Friends of Museums and the French Réunion des musées nationaux – Grand Palais are institutional partners of the initiative.

 

The European Night of Museums is present on the Internet and the social networks, with a great visibility:

 

Website: www.nuitdesmusees.culture.fr  

 

Facebook profile: www.facebook.com/nuitdesmusees  

 

Twitter profile: http://twitter.com/nuitdesmusees      

 

Dailymotion channel: www.dailymotion.com/Nuitdesmusees 

 

Flickr page: www.flickr.com/photos/nuitdesmusees