English
May is the month of the museums in Spain, and in Madrid they are celebrating this in style by offering two nights of free entry into the city’s museums.
The traditional date for the Night of the Museum in Madrid is 15 May, to coincide with the feast day of this city’s patron saint, San Isidro. This year, however, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) has proposed 14 May as the night for celebrating the event they have titled Museum and Memory. Madrid has decided to extend the occasion over both nights, thereby giving people more time to visit some museums and get a little closer to an important part of humanity’s heritage.
As part of the event, ICOM have created a multimedia programme entitled “A Piece of the Story”, an attempt to share the fascinating history behind each museum’s collection. This will be published on the webpage of the European Museum Night. On this page you can also find information about the history of every museum that has sent their information to ICOM.
Over the course of these two days, Madrid’s museums will stay open until 1 a.m., as well as running special programmes. There will be concerts, workshops, dancing, conferences and guided tours. Some museums are offering special programmes all week. One of these is the Museo Arqueológico Nacional (National Archaeological Museum) which offers guided tours on 18 May to show the links between the past and the present. El Templo de Debod (The Debod Temple) and la Biblioteca Nacional (The National Library) have also programmed special events for the occasion.
Another venue that is fun and interesting for all the family is the Madrid Planetarium, a perfect place to take children. The Planetarium will be presenting an exhibition about the first man in space, entitled Yuri Gagarin, 50 años. What’s more, they offer special programmes for schools, as well as an interesting series of projections, such as el Universo de Julio Verne (The Universe of Jules Verne).
This year, just as in previous editions, thousands of people are expected to take part in this event which democratizes museums and brings culture closer to those who would normally see it from far away.
El Museo de Prado (Prado Museum) and the Thyssen Bornemisza will exhibit their best collections until 1 a.m. at night. Among the exhibitions you will be able to see for free is Jean-León Gerome 1824-1904, Heroínas. Visitors can purchase souvenirs and merchandise from the museums.
More information: http://www.icom-ce.org/noticiasicom.php?a=183
Nancy Guzman
If you´re staying in Madrid accommodation , you shouldn´t miss European Museum Night. It´s a chance to learn more about history, art and human creativity. It´s a great opportunity to enjoy a different kind of night out in Madrid this spring.
Translated by: Ben Palmer
