Improving the individual to elevate the collective.
With the theme of ELEVATE, WMA 2025 will be an opportunity for attendees to participate in a unique slate of educational programming that explores ideas that will help define the future of museums and the diverse communities they serve. Beyond outcomes, WMA 2025 will encourage museum professionals to celebrate the process of collaborating with others. Coming together on common ground, we look to our shared identities and unique differences to ELEVATE the work of each other and our cultural institutions. This year, WMA wishes to celebrate our 90th anniversary by building relationships and soaring higher than ever before. With six session tracks, exciting events, and informal discussions, you won’t want to miss this dynamic conference that showcases an array of perspectives and provides multifaceted learning opportunities for professionals, regardless of cultural institution size, personal specialty, or career level.
June Special
Register by Monday, June 30 and you will automatically be entered to win 2 tickets to the Evening Events of your choice (value of $100)!
Download the WMA 2025 Preliminary Program
Highlights of WMA 2025 Include…
Keynote Speaker: The Western Museums Association (WMA) is pleased to introduce this year’s WMA 2025 Keynote Speaker Dr. Kirsten Buick, Professor of Art History and Chair of Africana Studies at the University of New Mexico!
Learning Sessions: 42 sessions and 3 workshops are broken out into 8 interdisciplinary tracks: Business, Collections, Community Engagement, Indigenous, Leadership/Careerpath, Technology, Visitor Experience and Trustee. View the Preliminary Program here.
Networking Events: Get ready to explore some of Reno’s fantastic cultural institutions! Evening Events offer a fantastic way to make deeper connections with your peers while visiting Reno’s unique museums. This year we have planned memorable evenings at the National Automobile Museum, The Discovery, and the Nevada Museum of Art. We are also hosting an evening event on-site at the Headquarters Hotel, bringing WMA folks together in dynamic ways.
One-of-a-Kind Tours: WMA offers two pre-conference tours at the Stewart Indian School Cultural Center & Museum and the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Museum. The Registrars Committee Western Region (RCWR) is hosting CSI: REGISTRARS in downtown Reno. Each tour will offer you the chance to explore Reno’s diverse landscapes and learn about unique cultural organizations.
One-of-a-Kind Workshops: Join leaders from across the region for hands-on workshops such as Exhibit Development 101, Elevating Visitor Voices, and Maximizing Free Marketing Tools.
About WMA 2025 RENO
Reno: Also known as the “Biggest Little City in the World,” Reno is the largest city in Northern Nevada and boasts a rich history starting with its Native populations, the Washoe, Shoshone, and Paiute peoples.
Annual Meeting Headquarters: The Renaissance Reno Downtown is the perfect center for WMA 2025 attendees to learn, network, and ELEVATE themselves and others.
WMA Kid Zone: Traveling with kids to WMA’s 2025 Annual Meeting in Reno? To increase accessibility for museum professionals with families, WMA has a child friendly atmosphere. We have partnered with The Discovery - Nevada's largest hands-on science center. The museum is 3 blocks away from the HQ hotel and will provide free admission to attendees, caregivers, and children during the Annual Meeting. If an attendee is traveling with an additional caregiver, the caregiver will be given a “family badge” at no charge to access meeting spaces and The Discovery. Please RSVP per child on the accompanying dropdown.
The Early Bird Registration deadline is August 15, 2025.
Discounted rates are for WMA and NMA members only.
Not a WMA member? Learn More About WMA Membership.
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