Museums Association Conference 2026

The Museums Association Conference 2026 will take place at Birmingham Repertory Theatre and online from 2–4 November 2026. The event brings together museum professionals from across the sector for a programme of conference sessions, networking opportunities, social events, tours and practical learning activities.

In-person delegates will be able to take part in tours across Birmingham on Monday 2 November, with the main conference programme taking place on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 November. Online participation will be available for selected sessions.

The conference focuses on how museums are working with communities during a period of social, economic and environmental change. Themes include civic engagement, social impact, partnership working, community participation, sustainability, ethics and organisational resilience.

Sessions will examine how museums are developing relationships with communities, working with partners to reinterpret collections and buildings, supporting people to share their own stories, and exploring approaches to inclusive and collaborative practice. Discussions will also consider how museums can adapt to meet contemporary challenges and opportunities.

Birmingham and the wider Midlands region provide a relevant setting for these conversations, reflecting the area's history of innovation, diversity and social change.

Conference activities

Participants will have opportunities to:

• Attend a range of sessions, including training workshops, case studies, panel discussions and keynote presentations.

• Discuss current issues affecting museums, such as funding, digital developments, participatory practice and collections management.

• Take part in smaller networking and discussion groups with Museums Association members, sector networks and support organisations.

• Meet suppliers and service providers working with the museum sector.

• Explore Birmingham's heritage through a programme of tours for in-person delegates.

• Attend evening social events.

Online attendance provides access to selected conference content for those unable to travel to Birmingham.

Programme highlights

The programme includes:

• Keynote presentations from V&A East Director Gus Casely-Hayford and writer, performer and educator Casey Bailey.

• Sessions on co-curation, volunteer programme development and visitor management system migration.

• Workshops covering community-led climate action, collections significance and safeguarding.

• Panel discussions examining ethical approaches to artificial intelligence, rural museums and community engagement with collections.

The conference is intended for people working in and with museums across a range of roles and specialisms. Sessions are led by practitioners and professionals from across the sector and focus on current practice, challenges and developments.

Further information, including the full programme, booking details and pricing, is available at: www.museumsassociation.org/events/conference-2026/.