2026 NYCMER Conference - Action!

Museums are cornerstones of learning, community engagement, and civic life, yet they now face escalating political, financial, and environmental pressures. These challenges call on cultural workers to respond with clarity, courage, and imagination. This year’s conference asks how we—individually and institutionally—can take action to uphold our missions, support our communities, and sustain our field in a time of crisis.

- $85 Member Early Bird - $100 for Members - $125 for Not-Yet Members - $25 Student with Valid ID

NYCMER Members: Please sign-in to the Member Portal and update your profile. If you have forgotten your NYCMER account password, you may reset it here.

Not a member yet? Join NYCMER today to purchase discounted member tickets and take advantage of the great resources NYCMER offers throughout the year. You must join NYCMER before registering for the conference in order to purchase discounted member early-bird and regular tickets.

This year's conference will feature:

• Keynote discussion featuring Dr. Raymond Codrington, President and CEO of Weeksville Heritage Center, Ayesha Williams, Executive Director of The Laundromat Project; and Dr. Ilk Yasha, Director of the Studio Museum Institute at The Studio Museum in Harlem.
• 26 breakout sessions, as well as poster presentations, and hands-on activities on a variety of topics including: accessibility, activism and social justice, climate, equity, community engagement, funding, program development, and more! Full conference program and session descriptions to come.
• Opportunities to network and connect with friends and colleagues at peer group meet-ups, poster sessions, opening and closing receptions, and more!

Access

NYCMER is committed to providing opportunities for all of our members to participate in our programs and engage with one another. Should you require any accessibility services, please contact [email protected].

Conference Scholarship

NYCMER is able to provide tickets to a limited number of applicants who would not be able to attend the 2026 NYCMER Conference without financial support.

This scholarship is intended for people who would have a hard time paying for their conference attendance on their own. All are welcome to attend the conference, and you do not need to be a member to apply for the scholarship. If you have institutional support that will pay for your registration, we please ask that you explore that option before you apply for the scholarship, as the number of scholarship sports is very limited.

Submit a Scholarship Application.

Conference Swag

Register early with an additional donation and receive a thank you gift while supplies last! Donate $5 of more to recieve a branded NYCMER pen and $25 or more for a branded NYCMER dinosaur plushie. Limited conference swag will be also avaliable at the Conference with additional donation.

Stay Connected!

Share your thoughts about this conference before, during, and after via social media using #NYCMER2026. Follow NYCMER on Bluesky, Instagram, and LinkedIn for updates about this and all other NYCMER programs.

Info: W 77th Street Entrance 200 Central Prk W, New York, NY 10024

Info: Kaufmann Theater Keynote Discussion: Dr. Raymond Codrington, Ayesha Williams, Dr. Ilk Yasha.

Info: Art, Learning, and Action for a Safe and Just Future: Insights from the Climate Museum,
Fostering Hope in a Changing Climate: Elevating Action in Children and Youth Science Programming,
Supporting the Needs of Museum Educators through a Labor and Social Justice Lens,
Working Together: Developing Partnerships and Providing Career Pathways to Support Girls,
Project Reset: Art as a Tool for Restorative Justice,
Accessibility in Action – How Frustration and Feedback Can Lead to Continuous and Inclusive Collaboration,
Nurturing Diverse, Inclusive Education Volunteer Programs: Case Studies from AMNH & BBG
Stop, Collaborate, and Listen

Info: Lunch not provided. Nature Journaling Activity led by Brooklyn Bridge Park

Info: -Bridging Disciplines at the American Museum of Natural History: The Science Elementary Teaching Collaborative
-Seeds to Solutions: How Microgrants Spark Staff-Led Action at NYBG
-Assembling Worlds: Collage-Based Storytelling for Community Contexts
-How to Engage the Whole Neighborhood: Participatory Resilience
-Taking Flight: When Museum Preschool Programs Leave the “Hive”
-Advocacy on the Waterfront: Site-Based Programming with Impact
-Exhibiting as a call for action: Public-facing assessments in teacher-education
-Met Expert Talks-- compelling storytelling that sparks excitement and curiosity
-Urban Park Rangers - Bringing People out into Their Parks - Meet NYCMER Peer Groups - Resume Review Session.

Info: Nature Journaling and Art: tools for understanding climate emotions and inspiring action through connection,
Afroterpretation in Practice, From the Ground Up: Everyday Action as a Museum Professional,
Organizing Museum Workers with the NY Transit Museum Collective,
Curators & Teen Voice: Designing a Teen Curators Program at The New York Public Library,
Grow Down: Taking Action With Children as Co-Creators,
Whose Tour is it Anyway? Experiments in Visitor Engagement,
Action Through Youth: Teen Programs as Sites of Equity and Change

Info: Coordinating Programs Roundtable,
Engaging Students in Civic Learning through Museums and Historic Sites,
Educators as Advocates: Integrating Accessibility for Neurodiverse Learners,
Data-driven youth recruitment practices: a collaboration across four NYC institutions,
Activating Museum Assets to Design Climate-Focused Learning Experiences,
“No Food in the Museum!”: Actionable Food Pedagogies to Engage Community Voices and Uplift Culture,
From Compliance to Care: Access Workers,
Healing through Art: Trauma-informed Collaboration between a Museum and a Recovery Program

Info: Kaufmann Theater

Info: Jake's Dilemma 430 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024

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