Hundreds of museums free across Germany tomorrow

Thousands of museums across Germany will open their doors to visitors for free on May 17, to celebrate International Museum Day. Here’s what you can look forward to:

International Museum Day 2026 in Germany

Every year, International Museum Day is celebrated by more than 35.000 museums in approximately 145 countries. In Germany, around 7.100 museums take part, holding special exhibitions or opening their doors to visitors for free or for a reduced price.

While International Museum Day is on May 18, museums in Germany will celebrate the occasion on Sunday, May 17. In Berlin alone, 33 museums will offer free admission for the day, and in neighbouring Brandenburg, 100 museums will offer free admission.

For more information about which museums are taking part, and which exhibitions are on, take a look at the interactive map on the International Council of Museums Deutschland (ICOM) website. Alternatively, head to the events page on your city's official website.

2026 theme is “Museums Uniting a Divided World”

Each year, International Museum Day has a different focus. This topic usually illuminates various aspects of museum work and the thematic diversity of the museum landscape, while also addressing current issues.

In 2026, the topic is "Museums Uniting a Divided World". With this theme, the ICOM aims to promote museums' role in fostering dialogue, inclusion, and understanding to bridge social, cultural, and political gaps.