The Western Museums Association’s (WMA) Annual Meeting is 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 emphasize equity, action, and leadership. Attendees will find fellowship with peers, strengthen regional and national networks, and gain a broader understanding of how museums are navigating current issues.
Please review the FAQs below for more information.
Dates & Location • Rates & Registration
Scholarships & Volunteers • Programming
Exhibitors, Sponsors, & Advertisers
Online registration for WMA 2026 is NOW OPEN!
Click HERE to become a WMA Member
DATES & LOCATION
What are the dates and location of WMA's 2025 Annual Meeting?
What is the headquarters hotel & location for WMA's 2026 Annual Meeting?
The Annual Meeting sessions and activities will take place at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center with Pre-Conference Tours and Evening Events hosted at cultural institutions in SLC. WMA Annual Meetings are all about connecting with colleagues, sharing ideas, and having fun. We help facilitate these by contracting with a hotel for a discounted room block and centralizing meeting spaces - both of which require minimum financial thresholds to be met.
Staying in the headquarters hotel makes connecting with colleagues easier and helps us keep the Annual Meeting affordable to attendees. Online reservations will open in June and will be available through August 14 at a discounted rate of $200/night.
RATES & REGISTRATION
When will registration open?
Online registration for WMA's 2026 Annual Meeting is NOW OPEN! Please visit our Registration Information page to learn more and register.
Is there Early Bird Registration? When does it end?
Yes, every year WMA offers a limited-release special discounted rate for WMA and UMA Members. The 2026 Early Bird Member registration rate goes through Friday, July 31, 2026.
What are registration options & rates for WMA 2026?
Full Meeting
Full Meeting (4-day) registration includes access to all sessions, networking activities, and some free events. You may choose to purchase tickets for additional add-ons: Pre-Conference Tours and Workshops; Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Evening Events; Affinity Luncheons; and Receptions. All add-ons are reserved for Annual Meeting attendees, and do require pre-registration. Registered attendees are able to purchase extra tickets for some events for non-attendees.
Member Early Bird Rate ..... $410
Member Regular Rate ..... $465
Non-Member Rate ..... $530
Student Rate ..... $265
Single Day
Single Day (1-day) registration includes access to all sessions, networking activities, and any free events happening only on that day. You may choose to purchase tickets for additional add-ons (not limited to your single-day selection): Pre-Conference Tours and Workshops; Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday Evening Events; Affinity Luncheons; and Receptions. All add-ons are reserved for Annual Meeting attendees, and do require pre-registration.
General Rate ..... $240
Are there discounts available?
The 2026 Early Bird Member registration rate ends on Friday, July 31st. Not a WMA member? Join now!
Applications for 2026 Scholarships close June 19, 2026.
Volunteering is a great opportunity to receive a discount – in exchange for hours work, volunteers can attend an equal number of hours of non-ticketed Annual Meeting events and sessions. More information about volunteering will be announced in early August.
Please contact wma@westmuse.org for Presenter Rate information
What is the cancellation / refund policy for WMA 2026?
Cancellations made in writing on or before August 28, 2026 will be refunded, minus a $100.00 processing fee. Cancellations after August 28, 2026, will not be refunded. No-shows will not be refunded. Please contact WMA for further information or if you have any questions.
How can I justify my attendance to WMA 2026?
WMA offers a Justification Toolkit - a free resource to help you demonstrate the rewards of the investment of your attendance to your supervisors or organization. By verbalizing the numbers of new skills you will learn, the networking opportunities that will be available, and the ultimate benefits attendees bring back to their organizations, you can strengthen your case for receiving support. Please view our Justification Toolkit here.
Are families and children welcome at the Annual Meeting?
Yes! To increase accessibility for museum professionals with families, WMA will offer a space to play or relax and will be filled with children's books and toys for a range of ages.
SCHOLARSHIPS & VOLUNTEERS
Are scholarships available for WMA 2026?
The Wanda Chin Scholarship helps to make attendance at the Annual Meeting financially accessible to individuals who might otherwise not be able to attend. Funded through an annual silent auction and donations, the Wanda Chin Professional Development Program is a vital component of the WMA mission and allows WMA to create opportunities for its constituents to build skill-sets to better serve their communities. Applications for 2026 Scholarships close June 19.
Can I donate to support scholarships?
Yes! By donating to the Wanda Chin Scholarship Fund, you will help to subsidize participation in WMA's Annual Meeting for professionals who might not otherwise be able to attend. The Annual Meeting is an opportunity for everyone to network with colleagues learn best practices, and gain new skillsets that can be applied within their own institutions and local communities.
There are two ways to donate and make an impact:
- Donate to the Wanda Chin Scholarship Fund by clicking here. Choose the amount you wish to donate and specify that your donation is for the 'Wanda Chin Scholarship' in the comments section
- Support the Wanda Chin Scholarship Program by bidding on items in the Annual Meeting's Silent Auction. Proceeds directly fund this program
Donate to the Wanda Chin Scholarship Fund
Can I Volunteer at WMA 2026? What are the benefits?
Yes! WMA seeks enthusiastic volunteers to assist WMA staff with a variety of roles at the Annual Meeting. In exchange for hours work, volunteers can attend an equal number of hours of non-ticketed Annual Meeting events and sessions. Volunteers must work for time periods equal to a minimum of 4 hours; this can be broken up into two 2-hour shifts or one 4-hour shift. Volunteer opportunities will be announced soon.
PROGRAMMING
What is the theme of WMA 2026?
This year we gather in Salt Lake City, a place shaped by layered histories, evolving communities, and ongoing efforts to reckon with land, identity, and belonging. With the theme of ASPIRE, WMA 2026 invites museum professionals to imagine boldly, reaching beyond inherited boundaries to shape futures not yet written. To ASPIRE is not simply to dream; it is to take intentional steps toward transformation. Whether expanding community engagement, rethinking stewardship, or exploring new interpretive strategies, to ASPIRE requires us to hold space for possibility - and to take action!
What sessions, events, and networking opportunities will WMA 2026 feature?
With over 40 sessions, 1 General Session and Keynote, 4 Evening Events, Pre-Conference Tours, and many new opportunities to share content with colleagues and make in-person connections, #WMA2026 will be a fun and creative gathering of museum folk. For more details on the Annual Meeting sessions, events, and networking opportunities. For more details on the Annual Meeting sessions, events, and networking opportunities, look for the Preliminary Program or visit our Annual Meeting Agenda page.
Who is WMA's 2026 Keynote Speaker?
Who is speaking at WMA's various luncheons?
There will be one WMA | UMA Community Lunch as well as four Affinity Luncheons.
The WMA | UMA Community Lunch will be a celebration of both communities coming together with our special guest speaker Laufou Jacob Fitisemanu Jr., Director, Sāmoana Integrated Learning Initiative. Sponsored by DLR Group.
The Affinity Luncheons:
- Director & Leadership Team's Luncheon — Sponsored by Blue Rhino Design
This luncheon is open to Directors, Deputy Directors, CEOs, CFOs, Leadership Team Members, and Trustees. The Luncheon will feature guest speaker Rebekah Beaulieu, Ph.D, Louise Taft Semple President & CEO, Taft Museum of Art. Discussion will follow. - Indigenous Luncheon — Sponsored by Barona Band of Mission Indians.
- Enjoy meeting your colleagues from tribal museums and supporters of Native American concerns. All are welcome! The Luncheon will feature guest speaker Eileen Quintana, Title VI Indian Education Program Manager, Nebo School Districts. Discussion will follow.
- Storytellers and Supporters Luncheon
- Especially for curators, development officers, educators, evaluators, exhibit designers, and all who make possible the engaging stories that museums tell, but open to all. The recipient of the Charles Redd Award for exhibit excellence will present on the winning exhibition.
- Registrar's Committee Western Region Luncheon
- Open to RCWR members, collections professionals, and related vendors. Underwritten by Registrar's Committee Western Region.
How can I best prepare for the Annual Meeting and its activities?
Whether this year is your first time at WMA's Annual Meeting, or you're a WMA regular, there can be a lot to think about when preparing for a multi-day networking conference. To ease your mind and to help you smoothly navigate through the 2026 Annual Meeting while maximizing your professional development, we have put together a simple Attendee Guide for your use. In this Guide, we share some things to consider as you prepare for the colorful Autumn of Salt Lake City and make your way through the 4-days at WMA 2026.
Will there be a virtual option for WMA 2026?
WMA 2026 is designed as an in-person gathering focused on connection and professional growth. With the understanding that hybrid events are effectively two separate events layered on top of each other with their own logistics, expenses, and staffing needs, there will not be a virtual component for WMA 2026. Our goal is to keep registration costs as low as possible. A virtual option would substantially increase rates and therefore reduce the number of people who could access professional development. However, you can get a glimpse of the happenings at #WMA2026 by following WMA on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, or X.
EXHIBITORS, SPONSORS, & ADVERTISERS
Can I sponsor, exhibit, and advertise at WMA 2026? What's involved and what are the benefits?
Yes! At the Annual Meeting, when you partner with WMA, you will have great exposure to a wide range of museum professionals and support the professional development WMA provides to the museum field all year long. Being a WMA 2026 sponsor, exhibitor, or advertiser will allow you to:
- Reach a concentrated group of museum professionals from a variety of sectors
- Increase your visibility among a diverse group of cultural institutions in the Western Region
- Position your business as a supporter and leader in the museum field
- Build upon your existing relationships with decision-makers, while fostering new connections
- Support a high-quality forum dedicated to sharing cutting edge and emerging ideas being accessible to all museum professionals
Visit Our Partnership Opportunities Page
We hope these general FAQs will help you prepare for the Annual Meeting and feel safe during your visit.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out to WMA staff at communications@westmuse.org.
We look forward to seeing you in Salt Lake City!
