International Museum Day 2026

May 18, 2026 - International Museum Day at the State Silk Museum

18:00-21:00

Back to the Nature: Museum Reconnects

The State Silk Museum joins the celebration of International Museum Day, annually initiated by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) on May 18. The 2026 theme focuses on the role and significance of museums. “Museums Uniting a Divided World” considers museums as spaces of living knowledge, dialogue, and social engagement. This year’s theme particularly emphasizes the transformative potential of museums, their ability to preserve heritage while simultaneously shaping contemporary cultural discourse.

The State Silk Museum expands upon this theme through an exhibition format. Under the initiative Back to the Nature: Museum Reconnects, the museum presents two new exhibitions to the public.

Chromatics: Plants, Humans and Nature

The temporary exhibition Chromatics: Plants, Humans and Nature connects natural dyeing, the observation of plants, and historical knowledge with contemporary artistic interpretations. The exhibition presents illustrations, installations, and contemporary artworks developed through research into the historical dye collection preserved at the State Silk Museum.

Participating Artists: Valery Petrov, Giorgi Shengelia, Nato Bagrationi

Observing the Ephemeral: The Renewed Entomology Collection

Observing the Ephemeral: The Renewed Entomology Collection presents one of the State Silk Museum’s most significant entomological collections, bringing together rare moth specimens of European, Caucasian, and tropical origin dating back to the 1880s. The collection was renewed and enriched in 2025 through the support of the AIMF museography project. Spanning five continents and including both day and night butterflies, the collection creates a space for observing and understanding nature, where fragile forms evoke reflections on time, transformation, and ephemerality.

Exhibition Curator: Mariam Shergelashvili

Exhibition Interns: Vato Maghradze, Mariam Gegidze, Elene Mardaleishvili, Nino Papuashvili

Exhibition Projects Advisors: Nino Kuprava, Valery Petrov, Sophio Injia, Salome Pachuashvili, Marina Gonashvili

Graphic Design and Social Media: Anano Gogichadze