The International Council of Museums (ICOM) is celebrating its 80th anniversary under the theme Museums Uniting a Divided World — the same theme that guided International Museum Day 2026. For eight decades, ICOM has connected museum professionals across the globe, championing the role of museums as institutions of dialogue, memory and shared humanity.
From its founding in 1946, ICOM has grown into a worldwide network spanning more than 40,000 members in over 130 countries. Its anniversary year has been marked by landmark achievements, including the adoption of the revised Code of Ethics for Museums, new guidance on decolonisation, and a global survey on the use of artificial intelligence in museums.
A shared heritage network
Uganda’s museum community is part of this global conversation. Through collaboration with ICOM, sister institutions such as the National Museums of Kenya, and the wider East African heritage network, Uganda’s museums continue to exchange knowledge, build professional capacity and champion the power of heritage to unite people across borders and generations.
As we mark this milestone, the Uganda National Museum reaffirms its commitment to the values that ICOM has carried for 80 years: stewardship, integrity, inclusivity and the conviction that heritage belongs to everyone.