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: the pressures created by a second iteration of the culture wars, the implications of generative AI, addressing the climate crisis, and combatting our epidemic of loneliness.

How can museums help move their communities away from division and towards connection and understanding? What choices do they face in avoiding or engaging in a given conflict, and how will these choices shape the future of museums and society?

What is AI, is the hype justified, and how can museums make informed judgements about this or any other emerging technology? What are the practical applications and implications for museums in the short and long term?

How can museums decarbonize their own operations? How can they inspire people to take meaningful action in response to the climate crisis, even as they prepare to live in a profoundly disrupted future?

How are museums creating programs and experiences designed to foster social connection and combat loneliness in their communities and their workforce? How are museums supporting specific communities that are at particularly high risk for loneliness and depression?

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.

Need some help convincing your boss? Use our template to help you make the case for why you can’t miss the Summit.

THE DETAILS

October 29 & 30, 2024

October 29: 1-5 pm ET
October 30: 12-5 pm ET

Virtual

WHAT ATTENDEES ARE SAYING

Here is what last year’s Summit attendees had to say:

“A glimpse into the future!”

“I was able to pull the innovative ideas I learned and use them for my own museum. I was enlightened and challenged during the presentations, and I plan to use the rest of the month to dip into the session recordings.”

“The issues covered in the Summit are the same ones we’re working through at my institution. I found the sessions extremely useful and have already used what I learned in conversations with my colleagues.”

“So well designed!”

“First time attending a digital conference and I’m a huge fan now! Great job!!”

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.

Together, we’ll take TrendsWatch a step further in the Future of Museums Summit. Connect with museum professionals around the world in 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: Navigating a Volatile Future:

• Culture Wars 2.0
• AI Adolescence
• Decarbonizing the Future
• Combating the Loneliness Crisis