Washington Museum Association Annual Meeting

Save the Date for WaMA’s 2026 Conference!

October 19-21, 2026 

Suquamish & Bainbridge Island

The Power of Place: Museums Supporting Communities

This year’s conference invites us to reflect on the power of place—the lands, waters, and communities that give meaning to our work. Museums have the unique responsibility and ability to harness and sustain the spirit of the places we inhabit and the people who have called them home since time immemorial. As centers of culture, science, art, and heritage, we embrace and enfold a plurality of values and voices, carrying forward stories of resilience, creativity, and truth that sustain our shared humanity.

As our nation marks its 250th year, we are reminded that this anniversary is both a celebration and a moment of remembrance. It calls on us to recognize the full scope of our collective history, including the Indigenous nations whose stewardship and stories shape these lands, and whose voices are vital in guiding the future.

In this milestone year, museums face unprecedented challenges. While vital sources of funding are threatened and eliminated, political pressure mounts to alter content and undermine historical narratives to obscure an uncomfortable and complex past. Yet, it is precisely in these times that our resolve is tested, and our role as truth-tellers and community anchors becomes most essential. Our communities look to us for support as rooted and indispensable places that uphold truth, honor enduring legacies, and celebrate creative expressions. In times of great challenges, our collective strength becomes our most vital resource.

Join us as we come together as a museum community, share knowledge, support one another in navigating the turbulence of the moment, and fortify our professional network. In doing so, we affirm our commitment to our work and to our communities, safeguarding the future of our missions.

We invite proposals for sessions, panels, workshops, and roundtable discussions that address this year’s theme: The Power of Place: Museums Supporting Communities.

1. What examples of collaboration, partnership, or resource-sharing strengthen the broader museum community?
2. How does your museum acknowledge and build relationships with the Indigenous peoples whose homelands you occupy?
3. How does your museum reflect, represent, or empower the community it serves?
4.  How are you and your museum cultivating resilience, personally, professionally, and institutionally, while also serving as a place of connection, support, and strength for your community during turbulent times?

Accommodations:

Information coming soon!

Accessibility & Inclusion

WaMA works to create an annual conference that is accessible to all. An accessibility request question is available during the registration process and can also be sent to contact@washingtonmuseumassociation.org. If possible, please make accommodation requests no later than a month before the conference.

Conference Refund Policy

If you are unable to attend the conference for any reason after registering, please email contact@washingtonmuseumassociation.org to request a refund. Refund requests will be granted until September 27, 2026. No refunds will be processed after that date.

WaMA offers a transfer policy for individuals who can no longer attend the conference as planned. If you’d like to transfer your registration in full to another individual, please email contact@washingtonmuseumassociation.org. The deadline for this is September 27, 2026, at 5 p.m.

WaMA is unable to divide a single registration among multiple people.