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Future of Museums Summit
Virtual • November 1-2, 2023
While the Future of Museums Summit has ended, the conversations keep going. Join the new Future of Museums Community on Museum Junction!
Why attend?
Our sector, and our world, is changing faster than ever, and it’s never been more important to think about the future than in this volatile but hopeful time. The Future of Museums Summit themes get right at the heart of some of this change: worrying partisan divides, accelerated digital evolutions, changing workplace norms, and renewed efforts in repatriation and restitution.
How can museums build the workforce they need while creating better, more equitable labor practices?
Can museums build bridges and foster tolerance to strengthen democracy?
Has the pandemic sparked an evolutionary leap in digital practice? What is the role of generative AI in transforming museum experiences and work?
Are museums in the midst of a transformative shift beyond legal compliance to values-based actions when it comes to repatriation, restitution, and reparations?
Using the profound disruptions of the past several years, museums can create a better, more equitable, and resilient future. In this two-day Summit, you’ll explore how.
The details
What is the Future of Museums Summit?
What if someone had told you in 2012 that something called augmented reality would soon take hold in museums? Or in 2016 that changing labor conditions were likely to increase worker flexibility and highlight wage disparities? In 2019 that blockchain, a little-understood digital ledger technology, might come to the field through applications like collectible digital art?
Each year, the American Alliance of Museums' Center for the Future of Museums releases TrendsWatch, a forecasting report outlining the emerging phenomena impacting the museum field.
We're taking TrendsWatch a step further this year. Connect with museum professionals around the world for the inaugural Future of Museums Summit, a virtual convening where you'll go beyond the theoretical and gain tactical strategies and takeaways to plan for a brighter future for you, your museum, and your community. Join from wherever you are to get actionable insights as you dive deeper into the themes of TrendsWatch: Building a Post-pandemic World:
- The Future Workplace
- The Partisan Divide
- A Digital (R)evolution
- Repatriation, Restitution, and Reparations
The Future of Museums Summit is generously supported by
People & Land
Acknowledgment
Every community owes its existence to generations from around the world who contributed their hopes, dreams, and energy to making the history that led to this moment. Some were brought here against their will, some were drawn to leave their distant homes in hopes of better lives, some were forced from their homelands, and some have lived on this land for more generations than can be counted. Honoring truth is essential to building a just and equitable world. While acknowledgment is important, it is only a beginning.
We acknowledge the Piscataway people, on whose ancestral lands the American Alliance of Museums’ office is located.
Please take a moment to consider the many realities of violence, displacement, migration, and colonization as we gather together for the Future of Museums Summit. We must hold ourselves accountable for the necessary work to uncover truths in the museum field and beyond. We encourage you to use this native lands map so you can learn what lands you occupy—visit: native-land.ca.
The American Alliance of Museums' mission is to champion museums and nurture excellence in partnership with our members and allies.
