Celebrate International Museum Day on TikTok with Exclusive LIVE Programming and Museum Access

TikTok launches Comes Alive, a global LIVE program bringing creators and museums together for exclusive experiencesFrom reimagining classic art through a modern lens, to delivering TikTok LIVE tours from the world's most iconic museums, TikTok is transforming how people discover culture, creativity, and learning.In honor of International Museum Day on May 18th, we're teaming up with iconic institutions and creators to launch a lineup of exciting programming and educational resources, including a new global LIVE program, updated museum insights, and more.Museums Come Alive on TikTokOver the past year, notable museums have turned to TikTok LIVE to engage with audiences in new ways, reigniting interest in history and famous works of art. In March The Metropolitan Museum of Art hosted a three-day LIVE series of creator and curator-hosted tours, while the Grand Egyptian Museum streamed its opening ceremony in November, turning a national cultural event into a global moment. The combined viewership across both LIVEs garnered nearly five million viewers globally, demonstrating how TikTok LIVE can continue to expand access to cultural institutions and educational storytelling.Today we're excited to launch Comes Alive, a new global LIVE program that provides TikTok users with year-round access to LIVE content across education, food, travel, and more. Programming will kick off on May 18 with Museums Come Alive, a series of official TikTok LIVEs in partnership with museums around the world where viewers will get a behind-the-scenes look into iconic cultural institutions.Be sure to tune-in LIVE on TikTok during the week of May 18th to see exclusive museum content:Almaty Museum of Arts: Tune in on @almatymuseumofarts at 3:00am ET/ 12:00pm UTC+5 on Monday, May 18th for an exclusive tour with @nurzhan_cello of the region's first and largest private museum of modern and contemporary art in Almaty, Kazakhstan. In a unique collaboration with the museum, TikTok LIVE has launched a limited-time bespoke virtual gift, "Artist," allowing viewers to support and celebrate cultural content during the LIVE.National Museum of Kazakhstan: Discover the National Museum of Kazakhstan on @nationalmuseumkz at 11:00am ET/ 8:00pm UTC+5 on Monday, May 18th, through an exclusive two-hour livestream with @zhuldyz_rakhmet. Supported by the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, this immersive tour will showcase iconic treasures from the "Golden Man" to contemporary masterpieces.The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): Join @katebartlett for an exclusive LIVE tour of The Museum of Modern Art in New York alongside a MoMA expert, as they showcase some of the incredible works of art on display. Tune in on @katebartlett, @museumofmodernart, @tiktok, @tiktoklive_us, on Monday, May 18th at 8:00pm ET.Abdeen Palace Museum: Join @ahmedgalalmoussa at @tiktoklive_mena on Tuesday, May 19th at 8:00am ET/3:00pm EEST for a before-hours LIVE tour inside the Abdeen Palace, showcasing Egypt's history and culture to audiences around the world.Pokémon Fossil Museum at the Field Museum: Tune in on @tiktok, @tiktoklive_us on May 20th at 7:15pm ET/6:15pm CT for an exclusive LIVE tour of the Pokémon Fossil Museum, two days before the exhibit debuts in Chicago, IL. @tiktoklive_us Good art should be accessible. Join us for a free @MoMA The Museum of Modern Art tour on International #MuseumDay, LIVE on @TikTok. Link in bio for details! #TikTokLIVE ♬ original sound - tiktoklive_us Highlighting Cultural InstitutionsTo celebrate International Museum Day, we're bringing together museums across the U.S. to offer exhibit access and behind-the-scenes tours with creators, blending world-class institutions with the creativity of the TikTok community."Cultural institutions have always had the power to spark curiosity, and the opportunity now is reaching the people who never knew that curiosity was for them. The growth of #MuseumTok proves that when museums show up where people already are, entirely new audiences follow. This International Museum Day, our deepening partnerships with museums around the world reflect TikTok's commitment to making cultural participation accessible no matter where you live," said Karen Kang, Culture and Education Partnerships Lead, at TikTok.From May 17 to May 22, you can search #MuseumTok to view the in-app International Museum Day hub and watch official videos from creators and museum partners, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, The Broad Museum, the Museum of Science Boston, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and the Children's Museum of Houston.2026 Museum Insights ReportWe're also unveiling TikTok's 2026 Museum Insights Report, a look back at the trends and moments that inspired the #MuseumTok community over the past year, showcasing key insights that have helped drive community growth on the platform.Key findings include:On TikTok, any museum can find its audience: TikTok gives every museum the potential to build a devoted following, even the most niche ones. The Disgusting Food Museum, Ice Cream Museum, Trap Music Museum, and The Bone Museum are all among the top-searched museums on the platform.Pop culture is the on-ramp to history: #MuseumTok shows the best entry point to history is often a well-told story. Museums have found new audiences by leaning into pop culture, humor, and TikTok-authentic formats, with clear results: U.S. TikTok users are 41% more likely than non-users to be interested in fine art and 79% more likely to be interested in modern art.Creator is the new curator: Museums connect more effectively with audiences when experts become the storytellers. Authentic voices and creator-led content drive museum discovery, giving a new generation a way into history, art, and culture through voices that feel relatable and approachable.Celebrating International Museum DayThis International Museum Day, connect with creators, institutions, and communities reimagining how culture is experienced on TikTok. From behind-the-scenes access to real-time storytelling, #MuseumTok is making history more dynamic, inclusive, and alive than ever before.*Source: TikTok in-app analysis (April 2025—April 2026)