NYCMER Annual Conference
A Regional Conference with a National Impact
Are you interested in leading the charge for the 2027 Annual Conference? Join the
Conference Committee!
Each year, NYCMER hosts an annual conference about key issues and trends in the museum education field. With a keynote speaker and dozens of sessions covering a variety of topics, it’s a great opportunity to expand your knowledge base, network, keep your thumb on the pulse of regional museum work, and catch up with colleagues. Plus there’s an after party!
To be one of the first ones notified about the conference, and to take advantage of advanced sales and discounted tickets, become a
NYCMER member!
Past Conferences
2026 Conference
ACTION!
Museums are cornerstones of learning, community, and civic life — and at a time of political, financial, and environmental uncertainty, our field is being called to take action.
This conference invited museum educators, cultural workers, and community partners to explore how individual and institutional action can shape a more hopeful, equitable future. How do we resist pressures that threaten our missions? How do we preserve what matters, advocate for our audiences, and practice the bravery of care in a moment of crisis?
Keynote: Keynote: Ayesha Williams (she/her), Dr. Raymond Codrington (he/him), Dr. Ilk Yasha (he/him)
2025 Conference
Welcome: Museums in Community
What does it truly mean for museums to serve their communities? Who is included—or excluded—when we talk about "community" in practice? How can museums create welcoming spaces that foster connection, engagement, and belonging?
Keynote: Ben Garcia, inaugural Executive Director of the American LGBTQ+ Museum; and Kimaada Le Gendre, Director of Education & Community Engagement at the Queens Museum
2024 Conference
Why Museums? Reflection and Revitalization in the Field of Museum Education
This conference focused on current responsibilities as informal educators and explore how we can revitalize existing methodologies and programming in the post-pandemic museum landscape.
Keynote: Adjoa Jones de Almeida and Sean M. Decatur, PhD
2023 Conference
Speak Up: Change in Museums
This conference featured sessions led by fellow educators on how change has come or what change is needed to their community, practice, or museum. Change can come in many areas of our work: in access and equity, in pedagogy and mode of delivery, in community involvement and engagement. Change can also be on different levels: individual, institutional, community, and the larger museum field.
Keynote: Adam Rizzo, Coordinator of College and Pre-Professional Programs and Museum Educator, Philadelphia Museum of Art; President, AFSCME Local 397
2022 Conference
Build • Bridge • Belong
The 2022 NYCMER Conference focused on community empowerment. Build towards a culture of welcoming and inclusivity across museums. Bridge the field of museum education with community advocacy and justice. Explore ways to create spaces that inspire an unapologetic sense of Belonging.
Keynote: Dionne Custer Edwards, Director, Learning & Public Practice, Wexner Center for the Arts
2026 Conference Photos
Credit: Laila Ann Marie Stevens
To get a sense of what it's like to attend a NYCMER Conference, check out this video documenting our conference at the American Museum of Natural History in 2013.
