New England Museum Association

08/31/2026

Registration is now open for the NEMA Annual Conference, taking place November 4-6, 2026.

This year, we will gather in Mystic, Connecticut, a quintessential New England maritime destination, known for historic and cultural sites, and a charming, coastal village atmosphere for the NEMA Annual Conference.

The NEMA Conference is full of insightful sessions, interesting off-sites, tons of networking, and of course lively discussions. Whether you’re new to museums or a seasoned pro, the NEMA Conference is the place for you.

Sign up: nemanet.org/conference.

08/24/2026

Every day museum colleagues are doing excellent work for and with their communities! Now is the time to celebrate them by nominating them for a 2026 NEMA Excellence Award.

Recognize excellence in the field, your own or a colleague's, and complete a quick online nomination form.

Nominations are due THIS FRIDAY, August 28, 2026.
Click here for more information: nemanet.org/ExcellenceAwards

08/21/2026

On August 27 at 11 am, join us for the next Internships Community of Practice meeting. In this session we will discuss intern projects and work- how to design projects, what work is appropriate to assign interns and at what level, and how to successfully supervise your intern while managing your own workload. There will also be time for an open forum for general discussion related to internships.

Sign up here: https://ow.ly/B0jZ50ZBCNg

(Those looking for internships themselves: this session is not a networking opportunity to find a program. You are welcome to join the conversation, but the focus will not be on connecting students to sites.)

08/03/2026

As LGBTQIA+ inclusion progresses, many organizations are proudly proclaiming their support of the q***r community. However, organizations are also under scrutiny for rainbowwashing. Like green- or eco-washing, rainbow-washing occurs when a company demonstrates LGBTQIA+ inclusion – such as making their logo rainbow on social media – without substantial actions in support of the q***r community. Especially in divisive times, LGBTQIA+ folx need authentic allies and meaningful change in our workplaces and community. On August 11 at 1 pm, join NEMA's LGBTQIA+ PAG for a virtual workshop that will share best practices across human resources, marketing & communications, visitor operations, and community engagement for museums seeking to be leaders in q***r inclusion. Sign up here: https://nemanet.org/event/rainbow_aug26

07/31/2026

On August 27 from 10:00 am - 2:30 pm, join the Industrial History Organizations PAG for a field trip to the Connecticut River Museum in Essex, CT. The day will start with a tour of the museum and end with a voyage on the Connecticut River aboard the Onrust, a re-creation of the vessel Adriaen Block built in 1614 over several years in upstate New York using traditional plans and means. It is a wholly unique ship that serves to educate and entertain visitors curious about the age of exploration, the fur trade, and our early colonial history. Sign up and find more information here: https://nemanet.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2075354&group=

07/23/2026

Our friends at the American Alliance of Museums have issued a statement in response to the Administration’s continued attacks on the Smithsonian Institution and the broader implications these actions have for museums across the country. See below for more information about how you can take action and write a letter to your representative on this topic.

Our statement on the independence of the Smithsonian Institution and America's museums.
AAM condemns continued efforts to politicize how museums present history, art, science, culture, and the natural world, as well as personal attacks on the museum professionals entrusted with preserving and interpreting our shared heritage.

Museums are among America's most trusted institutions because they are grounded in evidence, scholarship, and public service; not political influence.

As our nation's flagship museum system and an AAM-accredited institution, the Smithsonian represents the highest standards of scholarship, stewardship, and public service. If our nation’s leading museum system can become subject to political influence, no museum is beyond reach. The precedent would jeopardize the independence of 22,000 museums of every size and discipline across the country.

We stand firmly with museum professionals across the country and call on all elected leaders to reject efforts to politicize museums and uphold the public trust and independence that enable them to serve all Americans.

📖 Read the full statement:

https://www.aam-us.org/2026/07/20/aam-statement-on-the-independence-of-the-smithsonian-and-americas-museums/

📝Use our template to contact your representatives: https://www.congressweb.com/aam/103/

07/22/2026

Do you work on the front lines with museum visitors? On July 27 at 7 pm, you are invited to join the Visitors Services PAG for am after-hours coffee and commiseration gathering to share the fascinating, funny, ridiculous, and surprising visitor interactions/behaviors we have encountered during the summer. We will provide light moderation so it doesn't devolve into dwelling too much on difficult emotions. We hope that folks will leave with a feeling of support from their professional community.

Who knows more about what we're going through than our compatriots in VS at other institutions?

Sign up here: https://ow.ly/hmWL50ZiiF4

07/21/2026

Every day museum colleagues are doing excellent work for and with their communities! Now is the time to celebrate them by nominating them for a 2026 NEMA Excellence Award.

Recognize excellence in the field, your own or a colleague's, and complete a quick online nomination form.

Nominations are due on Friday, August 28, 2026.
Click here for more information: nemanet.org/ExcellenceAwards

07/17/2026

Almost half a million comments were submitted regarding the recent proposed OMB rule that would have major negative impacts on federal grants for all nonprofits, including the museum community.

AAM, along with nine additional museum associations, submitted comments earlier this month.

Read them here: https://www.aam-us.org/2026/07/10/aam-and-9-museum-associations-issue-joint-public-comments-on-proposed-omb-rule/

What can you do now?

Reach out to your Members of Congress to continue telling your story and the impact this proposed rule would have on your museum and community:

https://www.congressweb.com/aam/102/