Submit a Session Proposal for MAAM’s 2020 Annual Meeting!

The Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums Annual Meeting is an annual conference dedicated to fostering excellence in museums by providing our region’s museum professionals with high-quality professional development, networking opportunities, and special events across a three day span.

Submit a session proposal today!

Session proposals should address one or more of the following topics as it relates to our theme question:
Do Museums Still Need Objects?

Once perceived as static “cabinets of curiosities”, museums are now evolving their missions to meet the needs of their ever-changing communities. As we think about how museums will look in the future, we also need to think about how collections serve diverse audiences. The question remains: Do museums still need objects?

The MAAM Annual Conference will examine this question in its entirety. We will discuss the ways in which art, history, and science collections can play a new, or different, role in the museum. We will discuss how digital technologies make collections more accessible to communities. We will discuss how museums thrive with and without collections. We will discuss tough topics regarding collections. We want to know what you think about this question!

Join us in Wilmington at the beautiful and historic Hotel DuPont, where we will discuss how objects factor into all areas of the museum. Come early to explore some wonderful museums, and perhaps stay the weekend to see all that the Brandywine Valley has to offer!

Whether you are at a small historic house or a large art or natural history museum, an emerging professional or a seasoned expert, you will find something for your museum at this conference.

Session proposals should address one or more of the following topics as it relates to our theme question:

• Administration and Policy
• Exhibitions including collections
• Caring and Storing Collections
• Fundraising
• Repatriation (ex. NAGPRA)
• Decolonizing the collection
• Digital Collections
• Dealing with collectors
• Developing creative, relevant program/community engagement surrounding collections
• Tackling tough topics regarding collections/controversial collections
• Rapid response collecting
• Deaccessioning
• Living collections
• Licensing collections for income
• Accessibility of collections
• Museums without collections
• New approaches to the idea of the museum
• Developing advocacy tools to lobby with your local, state, and federal representatives to protect museums “how to talk to your senator/representative”
• Interpreting collections
• Unique approaches to using collections in education and programming

We’re looking for sessions that provide a clear and focused discussion of these topics, bring a diverse range of participants to the table to exchange views, and can stimulate questions and conversations among the attendees.

How do I submit a proposal?
Click here to submit your proposal through our Google Form. The deadline for submitting a proposal is 5:00PM EST on Friday, April 17, 2020. Questions? Email info@midatlanticmuseums.org