TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As COVID-19 cases in Taiwan continue to surge, more than 40 museums have joined an online exhibitions campaign launched by the Ministry of Culture (MOC), which allows people to view Taiwan's historic and cultural artifacts from home.

Because many in-person events are canceled due to the pandemic, the National Palace Museum, the Chinese Association of Museums (CAM), and over 40 other museums have worked together to make exhibitions virtual. The new online installations were also launched to correlate with International Museum Day 2021's theme of "The Future of Museums: Recover and Reimagine," MOC said.

International Museum Day 2021 symbolizes changes and innovations for the cultural sector amid the pandemic chaos, according to the International Council of Museums (ICOM) official website. The council also said that the COVID-19 pandemic has served as a catalyst for crucial innovations, such as the increased focus on digitization and the creation of new forms of cultural experience and dissemination.

MOC said that the online museums consist of works and relics from over 70 exhibitions and cover themes of humanity, art, and nature.

Established in 1946 in France, ICOM each year designates May 18 as International Museum Day to highlight a specific theme reflecting an important issue from that year.

International Museum Day 2021's theme is "The Future of Museums." (MOC photo)