Collection Inspiration: Museums

Celebrated annually on May 18, International Museum Day highlights the educational and social role of museums, while also encouraging communities to engage with heritage, art, science, and more. It also promotes cultural dialogue and understanding, reinforcing the idea that museums are not just repositories of objects but active spaces for learning and inclusion.

Since 1977, the International Council of Museums has organized International Museum Day. Its main objective is to raise awareness that museums are vital for cultural enrichment, mutual understanding, and cooperation among peoples. The event is celebrated globally by thousands of museums across more than 150 countries, with activities ranging from a single day to a full week.

To commemorate International Museum Day, PMG is taking a look at banknotes from around the world that feature images of museums.

Museo Mitre (Argentina)

The Mitre Museum (Museo Mitre in Spanish) is located in Buenos Aires and is a museum dedicated to Argentine history and the legacy of former president Bartolomé Mitre, who held the position from 1862 to 1868 and was the first president of unified Argentina. Located in a Spanish colonial house built in 1785, Mitre rented the house in 1860 and kept the home as his residence during his tenure as president of Argentina. Both a portrait of Mitre and a rendering of the Mitre Museum can be found on the Argentina, Banco Central ND (1997-2002) 2 Pesos banknote.

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Canadian Museum for Human Rights (Canada)

A national museum located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights was established in 2008 and held its opening ceremonies in 2014. As Canada's newest national museum since 1967, it is the first museum solely dedicated to the evolution, celebration, and future of human rights. The goal of the museum is to not only explore the subject of human rights but to enhance the public's understanding of human rights, to promote respect for others, and to encourage reflection and dialogue. An image of the modern landmark is featured on the back of the Canada, Bank of Canada 2018 $10 banknote, which shows civil rights activist Viola Desmond on the front.

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Museum of the Future (Dubai)

One of the newest museums on our list, the government of the United Arab Emirates opened the Museum of the Future in Dubai in early 2022. Housed in a torus-shaped building made up of seven floors, the museum is an incubator for ideas and is dedicated to exploring the future of science, technology, and innovation. Looking toward the future (instead of being focused on the past), everything exhibited in the Museum of the Future is predicted to be in existence by 2071. The year after the museum opened, the United Arab Emirates, Central Bank released a 500 Dirhams note that highlighted the museum on its back.

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Tempio Voltiano (Italy)

Another banknote that features a museum and the person it is dedicated to is the Italy, Banca d'Italia 1984 10,000 Lire note showcasing scientist Alessandro Volta and the Tempio Voltiano. Born in Como, Volta was a renowned physicist who invented the first electrical battery. A longtime resident of Como, the Neoclassical-styled Tempio Voltiano was created as a museum dedicated to Volta's scientific legacy. It houses a collection of his original scientific instruments, alongside Volta's personal effects and honors.

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National Museum of Beirut (Lebanon)

After an initial collection of artifacts was put together following World War I, the National Museum of Beirut officially opened in 1942 as the principal museum of archaeology in Lebanon. Housing collections that total around 100,000 objects, about 1,300 artifacts are exhibited in the museum that range in date from prehistoric times to the medieval Mamluk period. The pillared National Museum of Beirut building can be seen on the Lebanon, Banque du Liban 1986 5 Livres banknote.

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Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Morocco)

Opening in 2014 to curate and house Moroccan and international art, the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art is located in the city of Rabat and is one of 14 museums that are part of the National Foundation of Museums of Morocco. The museum is home to the works of 200 Moroccan artists and was founded by Mohammed VI, who has reigned as King of Morocco since 1999. The museum building can be found on the Morocco, Bank Al-Maghrib 2023 / AH1445 20 Dirhams banknote.

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National Museum (Philippines)

Built between 1918 and 1926, the National Museum of Fine Arts in Manila is part of the National Museum of the Philippines. The museum is housed in the Old Legislative Building, which is a neoclassical landmark that once served as the seat of the Philippine government. The National Museum operates the National Museum of Fine Arts, National Museum of Anthropology, and the National Museum of Natural History, all located in the National Museum Complex in Manila, with the institution also operating several branch museums throughout the country. The National Museum of Fine Arts building is seen on the Philippines, Bangko Sentral 2005-2010 50 Piso banknote.

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Palace of Culture (Romania)

Located in Iași, Romania, in a historic Neo-Gothic style palace with 298 large rooms, the Palace of Culture is home to four museums united under the name of the Moldavia National Museum Complex. The complex includes the Art Museum, Moldavia's History Museum, Ethnographic Museum of Moldavia, and "Ștefan Procopiu" Science and Technology Museum, with each museum containing its own stores, libraries, and halls for temporary exhibitions. Previously serving as the Administrative and Justice Palace until 1955, the complex is prominently featured on Romania's 1966 50 Lei banknote.

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Museo del Prado (Spain)

The Museo del Prado is widely regarded as one of the world’s most important and renowned national art museums. Located in Madrid, Spain, it houses centuries of European art based on the former Spanish royal collection and showcases the single best collection of Spanish art. The collection currently comprises around 8,200 drawings, 7,600 paintings, 4,800 prints, and 1,000 sculptures, with the museum displaying about 1,300 works in the main buildings. In 2024, the Museo del Prado was the 14th most-visited museum in the world. The popular museum can also be found on the Spain, Banco de Espana 1976 (ND 1978) 5,000 Pesetas banknote.

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Musee de la Monnaie (Tunisia)

The Musee de la Monnaie (also known as the Currency Museum) is a numismatic museum located in the center of Tunis, Tunisia, in the eastern part of the new building of the Central Bank of Tunisia. The museum occupies the space between the ground floor and the mezzanine, housing a permanent exhibition room, a temporary exhibition space, a media library, a library, and a gift shop. Opening in 2008, the museum is home to a collection of around 2,000 pieces that are displayed across 43 display cases, each equipped with a movable magnifying glass to help visitors decipher each piece. A few years after the museum opened, Tunisia's 2011 50 Dinars banknote highlighted the entrance of the museum building on the front on the note.

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If you're interested in more inspiring banknotes, check out our other Collection Inspiration columns for more collecting ideas, including ones centered on tombs, palaces, and Roman ruins. Also, be sure to follow PMG on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter for other articles and interesting notes posted daily.

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