NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR SMALL MUSEUMS & CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS RETURNS TO IN-PERSON

TO BE HELD IN COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND, JUNE 3-JUNE 5, 2022

There are more museums in America than McDonald’s and Starbucks combined – and many of them are small museums that serve their immediate communities with engaging activities for all-ages. During this ongoing pandemic, museums moved a lot of programming, tours, lectures, storytimes, and discussions to an online platform – the demand and attendance was astounding. Now, museums – and the Small Museum Association, itself – are returning to in-person events.

These quick pivots show that small museums are agile and uniquely positioned to respond to the changing needs of their communities and stakeholders. As the nation and world continue to reflect on the last two years, how will small museums continue to provide educational and experiential opportunities to seize the moment to foster cultural understanding and create lasting, meaningful change for our institutions and our communities?

Seizing the Moment: Opportunities for Radical Change will be a common theme among the presentations and discussions at the conference hosted at The Hotel at the University of Maryland, just across from the University of Maryland’s main campus. Several hundred attendees are expected to attend the three-day conference the first week of June 2022. The conference is accessible and ASL interpretation will be provided.

Conference Committee Chair of the Small Museum Association, William Roulett, a museum professional and member of the United States Army Reserve, characterized the role of museums in society as hubs for civic engagement, stating, “like civil servants, museum educators and administrators have a passion for service and the SMA conference is an opportunity to support and learn from the best. We can then better serve our communities: adults, schools, and visitors alike.”

Registration for attendees, sponsors, and vendors is open at: https://www.smallmuseum.org/.