Day: March 20, 2024

A museum is a public institution where people preserve the past, probe the present and prepare the future. It can take many forms, from hushed halls with musty smells to noisy centers filled with children running hither and yon. It can display revered works of art or contain collections of living insects. It can be found in a building or on the edge of a desert or in a dry-docked ship. It can educate or entertain, but in most cases it does both.

As diverse as museums are, they are united by their common purpose: to preserve and interpret something that represents the cultural consciousness of a society. As such, they can reveal a great deal about the society they serve and are bound by a set of principles that guide their decisions. This definition is designed to be a framework within which the diverse practices and theories that make up the field of museum practice can operate. It does not attempt to resolve the issues that abound in the field, such as those related to decolonization, repatriation and restitution, or to impose a single model for museums. Rather, it sets out the fundamental features that distinguish museums from other collecting organizations and defines them in terms of the ways they collect, conserve, display and educate.

Museums have been founded for a variety of purposes: to act as recreational facilities, scholarly venues or educational resources; to promote civic pride or nationalistic endeavor; or even to transmit overtly ideological concepts. They are founded to serve a range of public interests and, as such, they reflect the wide diversity of human culture.

For this reason, there are many different theories about what a museum is. Some are based on broad, general, non-specific assertions about the nature of museums and how they work; others are rooted in specific theories about what constitutes a collection, what makes it valuable or how a museum is to be organised.

While many of these theories differ, they all seek to understand museums as organisations that exist to serve their audiences and that are based on trust in the communities they serve. This definition reflects this trust in the community by making the most important change to its previous definition: it introduces the idea that museums are places for people. The introduction of this concept is subtle, but significant. It is designed to counteract the hegemony of the expert and acknowledges the fundamental need for museums to be engaged with their communities in order to serve them.

This new definition was developed through an extensive outreach effort in which Icom’s committees reached out to museums in all corners of the world. During an 18-month period and over four distinct rounds of consultation, the Icom Define committee spoke with representatives from 126 of Icom’s national committees—a total of more than 50,000 members. This was the largest outreach project in the history of Icom. Museums from Africa, Latin America and Asia were particularly active in shaping this new definition.

A birthday is the anniversary of the day you were born. It’s a special occasion that calls for celebration and a chance to reflect on the past year of life. It’s also a time to make new resolutions and wishes for the year ahead.

The word birthday derives from the Old English byrddaeg, which means “festival of rebirth.” Originally, it referred to a festival of the rebirth of a saint or king, but in the fourth century the Catholic Church decreed that all people should celebrate their birthdays. It’s now one of the most celebrated holidays in the world, and it’s also a great excuse to have a party and eat cake!

While you’re celebrating, send your loved ones a heartfelt birthday message to let them know how much they mean to you. Whether you’re looking for a funny birthday card or a sweet sentiment, we have plenty of ideas to help you say happy birthday to your favorite person.

Whether you’re celebrating with a big crowd or just with your loved ones, we have all the birthday decorations you need to make the occasion one to remember. From bunting banners to selfie frames, you can add a festive flair to any party space. And don’t forget a personalized photo album or birthday calendar that will serve as a year-round reminder of how much they’re loved.

We all love to give gifts, but it’s often the thought that counts more than anything else. There’s nothing better than a heartfelt wish from someone who loves you. That’s why we love to take the opportunity of a birthday to tell our friends and family how much they mean to us.

The first mention of birthday celebrations dates back to ancient Egypt, around 3,000 B.C.E. However, these weren’t birthdays in the sense of a person’s birth; they were coronation dates, marking the pharaoh’s transition into godhood.

While it’s not known how widespread these ceremonies were, there is evidence that they were common for a while. It is believed that they largely remained a practice of upper-class royalty, like the Egyptian pharaohs or American presidents, until the nineteenth century, when they were adopted by the masses.

Many cultures and religions place a larger significance on specific birthdays than others. For example, the Japanese celebrate Coming of Age Day on their 20th birthday, while Jewish boys and girls mark their bar or bat mitzvah on their 12th or 13th. In Brazil, children are congratulated on their Quinceaneras, marking the transition from childhood to young adulthood.