International Museum Day: Free Entry At 19 Museums On May 18

KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 (Bernama) -- All 19 museums under the Department of Museums Malaysia will offer free admission to Malaysians on May 18 in conjunction with International Museum Day 2026.

National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said the initiative was aimed at encouraging more people, especially the younger generation, to visit museums and appreciate the nation’s history and heritage.

“We also hope the public will value the role of museums as institutions of knowledge, catalysts for unity and platforms for nation-building,” he said at the Central Zone Unity Week 2026 celebration at the National Museum here today.

Aaron said the ministry, through the Department of Museums Malaysia and in collaboration with the Johor Heritage Foundation, would organise the International Museum Day 2026 celebration in Johor from June 23 to 30.

He said the event would serve as a platform to strengthen the role of museums as centres for education, heritage preservation and social unity among people of diverse races, cultures and backgrounds.

Aaron also said the MADANI government remained committed to rejuvenating museum institutions through various initiatives, including the Museum Matching Grant under Budget 2026 to support the development and transformation of the museum sector.

“This grant prioritises people-centric projects and programmes, focusing on permanent infrastructure development, museum digitalisation, educational spaces and museum-related programmes,” he said.

Meanwhile, Aaron said the proposed Malaysia Museum Bill had been tabled and agreed in principle at the Cabinet meeting on April 29.

He said the bill would strengthen the national museum ecosystem as the first Federal law specifically enacted to regulate the establishment, registration and management of museum activities in the country.

The act would apply in the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan, covering the establishment of the Malaysia Museum Council (MMM), governance of federal and private museums, as well as the creation of the Museum Register and Collection Register.

On Unity Week celebrations, Aaron said the programme, introduced in 2023, had become a platform to promote unity, deepen understanding of cultural diversity and strengthen national integration among Malaysians.

He said the celebration had entered its fourth year and continued to receive encouraging public response, with the National Museum selected as the venue for the 2026 Central Zone celebration.

-- BERNAMA