What methods can we use to work together in offering top-notch statewide programming and coordination? Join three organizations to discuss one model of large-scale cross-organization collaboration involving school programs teams from ten organizations. Through the iSEE partnership, museum and school staff work together to promote excellence in education, navigate challenging situations, maintain funding sources, and offer programming statewide. Participants will learn from presenters about the benefits and logistics of running programs of this kind.

Developing exhibits is often messy, straying from a prescribed set of rules. No matter how hard you try, scope creep can devolve into scope slaughter. Teams end up frustrated or disappointed. What causes exhibit making to go off the rails? When can you loosen up and make your own process? In this session, we will explore common pinch-points, offer practical advice, and muse on aspiring to "best practices"—which maybe aren't that perfect after all.

Data acts as a "crystal ball" by leveraging predictive analytics, AI, and integrated data sets–such as visitor behavior, market trends, and historical performance–to forecast future outcomes. Learn how museums can collect valuable data and use it to transform raw information into predictive models, actionable insights, and data-driven decisions. From guest sentiment to retail sales, explore different data streams, how they can identify trends, and inform decisions across a wide range of museum operations.

At the Natural History Museum of Utah, A Climate of Hope (ACoH) offers a path to rational hope. This exhibit shows how climate change affects Utah's people and places, while also helping visitors envision a healthy, prosperous, low-carbon future. In this session, exhibit developers and learning researchers share stories of ACoH, from prototyping to research-based iteration that continues today. Audience members will participate in activities to collectively imagine new ways of supporting visitor learning towards constructive hope amid climate change.

Our organizations actively engage with communities in discussions that promote critical thinking about some of the most pressing issues we face today. This presents both opportunities and challenges, especially when addressing potentially contentious topics. Learn how our institutions navigate difficult topics to facilitate thought-provoking conversations and inspire students to think critically. Brainstorm with colleagues to find curriculum links to specific topics and conversations your organization engages in.

This past year saw major exhibitions at the Guam Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the British Museum. Listen to Indigenous curators and community leaders share about some of the most significant museum installations in decades — from the rematriation of CHamoru latte stones, to a showcase of the political relationship between the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi and the U.K., to an overview of the complex and nuanced history of the Hawaiian Nation.

Artificial Intelligence is a creative tool that, like scissors, must be handled with care to avoid the pointy bits. Learning from a legal expert, a reluctant adopter, and a professional actively using it, this session will demystify AI with a brief intro to its history, legal challenges, and as a tool that can support human creativity. Find out how a monkey, alien, and ghost influenced AI's legal use, and explore museum scenarios in small group discussions.