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Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities announced free entrance to all Egyptian museums on May 18, celebrating International Museum Day.

Entry to Naguib Mahfouz and Umm Kulthum museums will be free till May 20.  

The world, as well as the cultural and archaeological circles, celebrate International Museum Day on May 18 of each year, to acquaint the communities with the importance of museums to preserve them.

Museums constitute a center for preservation, studies, and reflection on heritage and culture.

The International Museum Day has been coordinated by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) since 1977.

On its website, ICOM explained that this day represents a "unique moment for the international museum community".

“The objective of the International Museum Day (IMD) is to raise awareness of the fact that museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples,” the ICOM website stated.

Organized on May 18 each year or around this date, the events and activities planned to celebrate International Museum Day can last a day, a weekend or an entire week. IMD was celebrated for the first time 40 years ago. All around the world, more and more museums participate in the International Museum Day.

Last year, more than 37,000 museums participated in the event in about 158 countries and territories, according to the ICOM website.