On 18 May 2023, International Museum Day (#IMD2023), the UP Museums collaborated with the Employee Wellness Programme (EWP), the Student Wellness Committee (SWC) and UP Campus Tours (EFK752 Heritage and Cultural Tourism Honours students in the Department of Historical and Heritage Studies in the Faculty of Humanities) to advocate for the importance of university museums. International Museum Day (IMD) is celebrated annually worldwide with over 4000 museums’ participation nationally and internationally.

The International Council of Museums’ (ICOM) theme for International Museum Day (IMD) 2023 is, “Museums, Sustainability and Wellbeing”. The University of Pretoria (UP) Museums are key contributors to the well-being and sustainable development of all communities. As university museums, they serve a very diverse and eclectic academic community and on average welcome over 3000 visitors a month through their gallery doors.

According to Steven Matsobane Motena, the UP Museum Interpretive Officer, “IMD Day is promoted worldwide and this day provides the ideal opportunity to join students and the community to share the message that healthy living and the support of well-being for all is everyone’s responsibility. He also stated that “university museums have an active role to play with their close society and wider communities.”

For IMD this month in May, the UP Museums with Student Wellness Committee (SWC) are also conducting several outreach initiatives to other campuses. Monday visits to Mamelodi Campus, Groenkloof Campus and the Medical (Prinshof) Campus were introduced this year to extend the outreach to as many students as possible in raising awareness about International Museum Day and the opportunity on 18 May to share experiences, tours, and free admission to learn more about sustainability and well-being in university museums.The University of Pretoria Museums also join 491 museums across the globe with their programme on a new ICOM interactive IMD map which outlines the dedicated agenda. https://livemap.getwemap.com/dom.html?emmid=22658#/[email protected],-13.6873099,3.00