MuseumWeek, a week-long celebration of international museum culture across social media channels, is coming back for 2022. From 13-19 June 2022, you’ll see museums across the globe posting their #MuseumWeek content on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, taking on this year’s theme of culture, society and innovation.
Each day of the week has a topic for you to focus on, with a daily hashtag to include in your posts. Think about how your museum could respond to them, and what you have in your collection to tie to the topics. You could even plan events or blog posts to run alongside:
Monday 13 June = Innovation and Culture
Share the online and offline ways that you promote culture, especially when you highlight equality, diversity and inclusion. Use the daily hashtag #InnovationMW.
Tuesday 14 June = Creators
Museums can curate playlists and stories and display artworks based on audience suggestions. Use the daily hashtag #CreatorsMW.
Wednesday 15 June = Freedom
This is particularly important in light of the war in Ukraine, but you can also think about the topic in terms of freedom of information, freedom of speech, and so on. Use the daily hashtag #FreedomMW.
Thursday 16 June = Sexuality
A broad topic that can break down stereotypes and celebrate cultural and scientific content on love, gender, relationships, feelings, and more. Use the daily hashtag #SexualityMW.
Friday 17 June = Environment
Show how your museum is tackling the climate crisis and global warming. This topic was chosen for Friday so it fits the Fridays for Future movement as well. Use the daily hashtag #EnvironmentMW.
Saturday 18 June = Life Lessons
From general inspirational quotes to the work of great scientists, artists and thinkers, this is all about the power of memorable words. Encourage your followers to share their own life lessons, too. Use the daily hashtag #LifeLessonsMW.
Sunday 19 June = Dance
Dance is used here as a symbol of life and rebirth. Museum Week organisers encourage you to get your audiences dancing, either in your museum or online. Use the daily hashtag #DanceMW.
As the Digital Engagement Officer for South West Museum Development, it’s my job to keep up to date with all things digital, including the rapidly changing world of social media, and I know that MuseumWeek is one of the most important social trends for the museum and heritage sector. Last year saw many sites in the South West take part, including the Museum of Somerset, and Dorset Museum.
Getting involved in these trends is good for your museum because:
- Using the #MuseumWeek hashtag and the daily topic hashtag will give you exposure to a much wider audience.
- By checking the hashtags on social media platforms and seeing which posts are most popular, you get an idea of the kind of content that people respond to. This can help you plan posts in the future.
- You have the chance to highlight pieces in your collection that are overlooked, or maybe kept in storage. Shout about them online!
- With lots of museum professionals using the hashtag, you also raise your profile as a potential employer or somewhere people might consider volunteering. Remember that your social media followers aren’t just visitors or supporters – there are job hunters, too.
One last thing to remember: make sure you use the recommended number of hashtags for each social media platform (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram each have their own guidelines), so you don’t overload your posts with too many hashtags. That means:
- 1-2 hashtags per Twitter post.
- 2-3 hashtags per Facebook post.
- 3-5 hashtags per Instagram post.
I’ve volunteered as a UK ambassador to raise awareness of MuseumWeek, and I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have about getting involved. Email me today ([email protected]) and let’s make the most of MuseumWeek.
look forward to joining you