The yearly event Museums' Night will take place this year on May 14, when over 40 cultural institutions around the country will open doors all night to visitors, organize exhibitions and special events, according to the website dedicated to this event.

This event is the counterpart of the International Museum Day but during the night. The museums day has been established by the International Council of Museums (ICOM), and is held on May 18. In 2011, Museums' Night is for the first time officially sponsored by ICOM.

Almost 3,000 museums in Europe will join this event in 2011, while in Romania over 40 museums will await visitors through the night. They will be organizing diverse exhibitions, performances, screenings and interactive events, according to the official website of the event, www.noapteamuzeelor.ro.

In Bucharest, museums like the Aviation Museum, the Bellu Museum, the National Military Museum "King Ferdinand I", the Museum of Bucharest, the Romanian National Art Museum, the National Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Museum of Maps and Old Books and many others will take part in the celebration. These will be joined by several other museums around the country.

The Museums' Night is an event initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Communication in France and is already at its seventh edition. The event is sponsored this year by the General Secretary of the Council of Europe and also by UNESCO, which joined the Museums' Night in 2009.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com