The Western Museums Association’s (WMA) 2026 Annual Meeting, produced in partnership with the Utah Museums Association, was a distinct opportunity for museum people to exchange ideas, learn from peers in unique sessions, and cultivate skills to best serve their communities through museums. Dynamic sessions and other content at the Annual Meeting emphasized equity, action, and leadership. Attendees found fellowship with peers, strengthened regional and national networks, and gained a broader understanding of how museums are navigating current issues.
Pre-Conference Tours + Workshops
The Annual Meeting began with opportunities to explore Utah’s landscapes, histories, and museum practices. Tours included Golden Spike and Spiral Jetty, the Topaz Museum and incarceration site, and Wuda Ogwa, where participants learned about Shoshone history and restoration efforts. Workshops offered hands-on experiences in exhibit prototyping and culturally grounded STEM education, while a hike to Living Room Lookout, guided by Axel Estable of NHMU, brought learning into the Wasatch foothills.
Opening Reception + Events
Attendees connected at their own pace through the lively introductions of Speed Networking and the relaxed, small-group conversations of the Slow Mixer, hosted by WMA’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee. The Opening Reception continued the conversation in the Exhibit Hall with refreshments, introductions to exhibitors, and a book signing with Jame Anderson, a contributing author of Building a Museum: This Is Not a Manual.
Evening Event @ UMoCA
The first evening brought attendees to the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art for art, refreshments, and conversation in the heart of downtown. Between reconnecting with colleagues and exploring the galleries, guests encountered Time, Truth, and Other Immeasurables, an exhibition examining aspects of human experience that resist measurement.
Keynote
The Opening General Session brought the WMA and UMA communities together with welcoming remarks, an Indigenous blessing from Virgil Johnson of the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, an address from WMA President Noelle Kahanu, and the presentation of WMA's 2026 Awards. Keynote speaker Lisa Sasaki, the Smithsonian Institution’s Deputy Under Secretary for Special Projects, rounded out the morning’s program with an inspirational talk about why museum work matters right now.
Networking in the Exhibit Hall
Throughout the Annual Meeting, the Exhibit Hall served as a gathering place for catching up with colleagues, making introductions, and exploring resources for museum work. The Networking Lunch, Happy Hour, and casual coffee breaks created time to connect with exhibitors offering expertise in everything from collections care and exhibit design to technology and visitor experience. Friday’s Poster Session served as an opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about colleagues’ projects.
Museum of Utah
Thursday evening offered a look inside the brand new Museum of Utah, the state’s first dedicated state history museum. Attendees explored galleries organized around Becoming, Connecting, Building, and Inspiring, along with the temporary exhibition Past is Personal. Dinner, conversation, and behind-the-scenes tours of the new collections space made the evening an opportunity to consider how Utah’s stories are preserved and shared.
WMA | UMA Community Lunch
The WMA | UMA Community Lunch brought attendees together to celebrate the people and partnerships that strengthen the museum field. The program featured special guest Laufou Jacob Fitisemanu Jr., Director of the Sāmoana Integrated Learning Initiative, and the presentation of UMA’s Annual Awards. Sharing a meal offered time to reconnect and recognize the work of Utah’s museum community.
Learning Sessions
Across the Annual Meeting, presentations, conversations, and active engagement in Learning Sessions addressed topics including reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities, collections stewardship, leadership development, community collaboration, and the possibilities and limitations of AI. Together, these sessions offered practical approaches and questions for attendees to bring back to their institutions.
Red Butte + NHMU
Friday evening began with a stroll through Red Butte Garden and Arboretum, surrounded by fall landscapes and sunset views of the Salt Lake Valley. The gathering continued next door at the Natural History Museum of Utah, where attendees explored galleries, connected in the Canyon beneath the redesigned Collections Wall, and enjoyed views from the Sky Terrace. Behind-the-scenes tours offered a closer look at the collections, paleontology preparation, and exhibit work that support the museum’s experiences.
WMA Breakfast Club
Saturday began with coffee, conversation, and connection at the WMA Breakfast Club. This informal gathering gave attendees space to share the books, movies, music, and hobbies they were enjoying and get to know the people behind the name badges. It offered an easy start before another full day of learning.
Affinity Luncheons
Affinity Luncheons brought colleagues together around shared interests, responsibilities, and experiences in museum work. Gatherings included the Indigenous Luncheon with guest speaker Eileen Quintana, the Directors & Leadership Team Luncheon with guest speaker Rebekah “Becky” Beaulieu, the Registrars Committee Western Region’s annual business meeting, and the Storytellers and Supporters Luncheon featuring The Burke Museum, recipient of the Charles Redd Award. Each offered space for focused conversation and connections across institutions.
Roundtables
As a bookend to WMA | UMA 2026, Saturday’s Roundtables invited attendees into small-group conversations about the questions shaping their daily work. Topics ranged from community relationships, deaccessioning, and updating permanent exhibitions to employee well-being, emerging professional development, and leading museums in polarized times. These exchanges created room to compare experiences, share advice, and think through challenges together.
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