International Museum Day 2026: overview of events

International Museum Day falls on 18 May 2026. Museums and monumental sites nationwide will mark the occasion with special openings, guided tours, workshops and activities for visitors of all ages.

Main events by city

• Bologna – The University Museum System offers a week of activities at Palazzo Poggi and the Botanical Garden and Herbarium (16–24 May 2026), including guided tours and workshops. On 18 May the Museum for the Memory of Ustica and the Jewish Museum will also open, alongside many municipal museum venues hosting numerous events.
• Parma – The Museum of Natural Historiography opens on 18 May from 10:00 to 16:00 with a programme of on-site lectures; free entry but online registration is required.
• Pisa – The Museum of Pathological Anatomy offers a seminar at 17:00 on 18 May about saint relics, followed by a guided visit to the paleopathology collection (booking required by 13:00 on the same day). At the Botanical Garden and Museum a photography contest award ceremony takes place at 15:00.
• Rome and Castelli Romani – The Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo will exceptionally open rooms usually closed to the public (check official site for times). Rome’s civic museums participate with guided tours and family activities in major venues such as the Capitoline Museums, Ara Pacis and Centrale Montemartini.

Evening openings and practical advice

The programme overlaps with the European Night of Museums on 23 May 2026, when many sites offer evening free or symbolic-price entry. Practical tips:

• Verify times and access rules on each museum’s official page before you go.
• Book in advance when required; some talks and workshops have limited places.
• Consider public transport, walking or park-and-ride solutions to reach sites and reduce traffic in historic areas.

Why visit

The day is an ideal moment to explore permanent collections, visit normally closed rooms of historic palaces and engage with monuments that preserve and tell the cultural story of Italian cities.