International Museum Day in Alicante: Full Programme

Alicante's museums and cultural spaces have scheduled 80 activities to celebrate International Museum Day (IMD). The day was established on May 18 at the proposal of the International Council of Museums, and in the city, the programme extends from May 14 to 18. This year's theme is "The Future of Museums in Changing Communities," focusing on how museums can navigate and contribute to a world experiencing profound social, technological, and environmental changes.

The City Council (MACA, Las Cigarreras, and MUSA), the Alicante Provincial Council (MARQ, MUBAG, and the Juan Gil-Albert Institute of Culture), The Ocean Race Museum, the University of Alicante Museum, the Alicante City University Venue, and the Alicante Water Museum join forces once again to offer a carefully curated programme for all audiences, which last year attracted 10,492 people to the various cultural spaces.

This Friday, the presentation took place at the University Venue and was attended by institutional representatives from the different administrations involved.

The Deputy for Culture, Juan De Dios Navarro, highlighted that "we are facing a new edition of this great initiative that opens new paths to bring citizens closer to the latest content from the province's museums and centres, in the case of the Provincial Council through spaces like MARQ, MUBAG, or the IAC Juan Gil-Albert. A challenge that reaffirms the commitment and collaboration of the different administrations and the willingness to walk together in favour of culture."

The Councillor for Culture, Nayma Beldjilali, wanted to emphasize "the importance that once again, with all the prior work it entails, the heads of the different spaces have coordinated their activity to celebrate the great day of museums at an international level. All this, with the sole objective that Alicante residents and visitors enjoy an extensive cultural offer over five days." "Each year, the attending public increases, and this is a clear sign of the interest that citizens have in quality culture," she added.

The Vice-Rector for Culture, Sports, and University Extension of the UA, Catalina Iliescu, expressed that "the University of Alicante joins with a programme that focuses on the challenges posed by an increasingly complex and diverse society. Through creative workshops, conferences, guided tours of exhibitions, artistic mediations, or concerts, our aspiration is to collectively build freer, more respectful, inclusive, and committed communities, where dialogue, empathy, and knowledge become engines of social transformation."

Martín Sanz, Director of Communication and External Relations of Aguas de Alicante, highlighted that "the Alicante Water Museum has been bringing environmental education to its visitors for over 15 years, nearly 300,000." For Museum Day, the proposal points to its cultural and more intimate side, with an acoustic concert in the Wells as a space that hosts all kinds of cultural representations.

Meanwhile, the Director of The Ocean Race Museum, Jan Pérez, noted that "at The Ocean Race, we have started a new cycle under the concept "Always On" with the aim of keeping the excitement of the regatta alive throughout the year. In addition to the iconic round-the-world sailing race, we are adding two new events to our calendar: The Ocean Race Europe, in the summer of 2025, and The Ocean Race Atlantic, a transatlantic crossing connecting New York and Barcelona in 2026."

Las Cigarreras will celebrate on Saturday, May 17, with two exhibitions 'Water Dilutes My Words' by Olivia Funes Lastra in the White Box and 'Manual of the Harvest' by Samuel Fernandi (short film 18 min) in the Black Room.

On the other hand, the GritoFest Festival will take place in the Black and Grey Boxes starting at 5 p.m. on the same Saturday, along with an experimental writing and collective drawing workshop 'Beyond the Sea, a River,' directed by Olivia Funes Lastra in the Dryer at 6:30 p.m.

The Juan Gil-Albert Institute of Culture joins this celebration with various activities. A new session of the Manifesta Art Club will fill the Bardin House on Thursday at 7 p.m., followed by a participatory workshop by Perceval Graells at the Santa Pola Sea Museum on Friday at 6 p.m. On Saturday, a visit to the Orihuela Circus Theatre is scheduled for 11 a.m. All with registration on the IAC Juan Gil-Albert website.

MACA joins with an extensive programme starting on Wednesday, May 14, and ending on the same Sunday, May 18. Talks and visits around Kara Walker's exhibition, family workshops, dance and music, theatre, cinema, and the "Utopic Liberty" installation by Elio Rodríguez on the facade. All detailed information is available on the museum's website.

The Archaeological Museum of Alicante (Marq) offers from May 13 to 18 training talks, children's workshops, theatre sessions for the general public, guided solar observation, theatrical visits, and various family activities, revolving around the current exhibition on the origins of the city of Alicante, "Cities of Light."

The University of Alicante Museum (MUA) focuses its celebration on the IMD party on Friday, May 16, in the afternoon (between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.), culminating with a snack of horchata and artisanal fartons. Over the weekend, educational workshops and guided tours of contemporary art and archaeology exhibitions will take place. Saturday's schedule will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Gravina Fine Arts Museum (Mubag) proposes activities for the whole family on May 17 and 18. Guided, musical, and theatrical visits to the permanent and temporary exhibitions, as well as a trivia game to learn about the hidden history of Mubag, the "Landscapes in Transit" screen printing workshop, and a choral performance.

The City Museum MUSA, located in several rooms of the Santa Bárbara Castle, will have its usual schedule on May 17 and 18, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. On Saturday, May 17, at 6 p.m., a monitored visit to the exhibition "From Word to Music" (Tavern Room, with a maximum of 25 people) will take place, followed by a baroque concert in the castle's cistern at 7 p.m. (free entry until the capacity of 90 people is reached).

The Garrigós Wells at the Alicante Water Museum will host an acoustic concert by the Alicante group Mailers on Sunday, May 18, from 12 p.m. (registrations: alicantesociocultura.eventbrite.es). Additionally, the space extends its weekend hours (from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), with opening on Saturday afternoon (from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.).

The Ocean Race Museum has prepared a special programme for the whole family, with a treasure hunt on Saturday, May 17, at 6 p.m. and the family music show "Bumper Cars" by Billy Mandanga and Kevin Méndes for Sunday, May 18, at 12 p.m. In addition to immersive experiences and free visits throughout the weekend.

The Alicante City University Venue has organised a cultural programme from May 13 to 16 on the occasion of the IMD, with conferences on art and museum management. A guided tour of the "Reminiscences" exhibition by Mercè Díaz and a concert by the group ExÓTICA will also take place. All these activities will be held at 7 p.m. in the Juana Francés Room.

This year, some of the museums will participate in cultural routes taking place on Saturday, May 17, in the morning and afternoon.

12 p.m. Ocean Race Museum and MUBAG by Rosana Sánchez and Aris Spentsas.

5 p.m. MARQ by Rosana Sánchez and Aris Spentsas.

5 p.m. Las Cigarreras Cultural Centre by Diana Guijarro, M. Reme Silvestre Linde

6:30 p.m. Water Museum by Diana Guijarro, M. Reme Silvestre Linde

7:30 p.m. MACA by Diana Guijarro, M. Reme Silvestre Linde

The schedules and registrations for all museums can be consulted on the "musea" website https://museosdealicante.com/dim-dia-internacional-de-los-museos/, and on each centre's website.