MAAM 2026 Annual Conference

Museum collections are not static, despite their typically stationary nature. Each item requires active, never-ending tasks to manage condition and utility. How can museums ensure that current and future generations of visitors continue to engage with their collections when maintenance and access are challenged by geography, funding, and environmental conditions? This panel will share how Historic Hudson Valley overcame these challenges and used interdepartmental partnerships to establish physical and intellectual control over historical collections originally held in disparate locations. Audience takeaways include strategies for developing their own collections management practices and utilizing cost-effective methods to meet project and organizational needs.

Session Takeaways:
•Identify strategies to adapt existing infrastructure and cultivate staff capabilities
•Innovate ways to use lower-cost technology to create high-impact solutions
•Understand benefits and challenges of interdepartmental communication, collaboration, and prioritization
•Gain insight on the relationship between providing visitor access to and ensuring protection of historical collections