Ontario museums celebrate May is Museum Month and showcase their contributions to the well-being and to the sustainable development of our communities.

News provided by

Ontario Museum Association

May 02, 2023, 12:42 ET

TORONTO, May 2, 2023 /CNW/ - The Ontario Museum Association encourages all Ontarians to add a museum to their local travel plans! Celebrated annually since 2000, May is Museum Month/Mai, Mois des Musées is a program of the Ontario Museum Association and celebrated by Ontario's 700+ museums, galleries, and heritage sites, their 11,000 employees, and 37,000 volunteers. May is Museum Month provides an opportunity to promote Ontario's heritage and cultural assets, which demonstrate consistent economic and social return on investment, enhancing their benefit and value for communities across the province.

The Honourable Neil Lumsden, Ontario's Minister of Tourism Culture and Sport, offered well wishes to the province's museum sector in celebration of May is Museum Month: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1A781VGYP4

Municipalities across the province, including Toronto, Ottawa, Thunder Bay, Sudbury, Oshawa, Sault Ste. Marie, Brockville, Grimsby, and Northumberland County have also issued proclamations that May is Museum Month!

May is Museum Month coincides with International Museum Day on May 18th, a worldwide initiative of the International Council of Museums to highlight museums as key contributors to the wellbeing and to the sustainable development of our communities. As trusted public institutions, museums create a cascading effect to foster positive change – from supporting climate action and fostering inclusivity, to tackling social isolation and improving mental health, to advancing Truth and Reconciliation.

May is Museum Month/Mai, Mois des Musées, also provides an opportunity to recognize the vital role museums play in helping to achieve recovery and reinvigoration across Ontario. Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, museums have exhibited resilience and delivered valuable engagement, serving their communities where possible. The support from all levels of government means that museums can continue to make our communities vibrant and vital places to live, work, visit and invest.

May is Museum Month / Mai, Mois des Musées and International Museum Day are an opportunity to remind us that Ontario museums can help our province rebuild and emerge stronger from the global pandemic. The OMA encourages everyone to rediscover our local community museums in celebration of International Museum Day and May is Museum Month.

Museums are ready to welcome local visitors and tourists alike, with safe, in-person experiences, new exhibits and programs, and many seasonal attractions opening for the summer.

Please see a sample of events and offerings across the province, below:

Central Ontario:

Eastern Ontario:

South-Western Ontario:

Northern Ontario:

Background:

About May is Museum Month: #ONMuseumMonth #MayIsMuseumMonth

Celebrated annually since 2000, May is Museum Month/Mai, Mois des Musées is a program of the Ontario Museum Association and celebrated by Ontario's 700+ museums, galleries, and heritage sites, their 11,000 employees, and 37,000 volunteers.

About the Ontario Museum Association:

The Ontario Museum Association strengthens capacity among institutions and individuals active in Ontario's museum sector, facilitates excellence and best practices, and improves the communication and collaboration of its membership. The Association advocates for the important role of Ontario's museums to society, working with all stakeholders, related sectors and industries, and other professional organizations. Read more here: https://members.museumsontario.ca/

Donate to the Ontario Museum Association through CanadaHelps here: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/ontario-museum-association/

About Ontario Museums:

  • Ontario has more than 700 museums, galleries, and heritage sites that welcome more than 19.4 million in-person visits a year
  • Ontario's museums contribute an estimated $1.6 billion in total economic value annually
  • Ontario museums employ 11,000 people across the province
  • More than 37,000 volunteers contribute 3.6 million hours a year in support of Ontario's museums
  • 77% of Ontario museums offer programs linked to school curriculum, welcoming 2 million visits by Ontario school children every year
  • Ontario museum websites welcome 112.8 million visits a year – 4 visits per second!
  • Museums in Ontario have engaging digital content: pictures, video, even virtual reality!

About International Museum Day 2022: Museums, Sustainability and Wellbeing:

A worldwide initiative of the International Council of Museums, organized each year on and around May 18th. On this day, participating museums plan creative events and activities related to the International Museum Day theme, engage with their public and realise the full transformative potential that museums have for sustainable development and wellbeing!

Read more HERE: https://imd.icom.museum/

SOURCE Ontario Museum Association

For any questions about May is Museum Month, Ontario museums, or museum events in your local area, members of the media may contact: Robin Etherington. Interim Executive Director, Ontario Museum Association, [email protected], 416-348-8672

Organization Profile

Ontario Museum Association