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By Bethany L. Hawkins

One of the best ways to grow your professional network is by attending conferences. Maybe you regularly attend your state museum association conference but have never attended a national conference due to the cost of travel. The 2025 AASLH Annual Conference in Cincinnati, in partnership with the Ohio Local History Alliance, is the perfect conference for those new to the history field who want to save some money on travel.

Did you know that Cincinnati is within a day’s drive of 60% of the nation’s population? It also has a free streetcar, called The Connector, that operates on a 3.6-mile loop from The Banks and up to the brewery district in Over-the-Rhine.

If the convenient location of the conference is not enough, here are some recommended sessions and events that would help build your skills and strengthen your professional network.

  • Take a tour: While tours do come with an extra fee, they offer several hours for you to get to know a small group of colleagues while seeing what other history organizations do. If you really want to make personal contacts, sign up for a full-day tour held on Wednesday or Saturday. Options include visits to the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks World Heritage Site, Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill, Horses and Bourbon, Cincinnati Cemeteries, The Underground Railroad Along the Ohio River, and Dayton’s Aviation History.
  • Visit the Exhibit Hall: On Thursday and Friday, the Exhibit Hall will be open with vendors, snacks, and plenty of coffee. This is a good opportunity to mingle with other attendees and refuel for the next set of programming.
  • Attend Receptions: There are three opportunities for receptions during the conference which offer food and some ways to get to know other Emerging History Professionals. The History Leadership Institute Reception ($10) on Wednesday afternoon, the First-Time Attendee Reception (free) on Thursday morning, and the Diversity and Inclusion Mixer (free) on Thursday afternoon encourage mingling as well as providing introductions to what AASLH offers its members. Preregister for these events as tickets are required.
  • Maximize Learning Sessions: Over 70 learning sessions are included in your conference registration fee. Attend those sessions that fit best with your career path. But make sure to make the most of that time by asking questions, attending roundtable sessions with discussion opportunities, and exchanging contact information with presenters. Here are some suggestions for sessions that will help you learn more about the field:
    • Making the Case for Your Next Big Experiment
    • Making Sense of Numbers: Storytelling and Finance at Historic Sites
    • Writing and Editing Excellent Museum Exhibition Label Copy
    • Values Matter: Building Shared Purpose in Chaotic Times
    • Museum Leadership in a Time of Change
    • FSA Tips: Real Talk About Burnout
    • Salaries, Demographics, and Perspectives of the Public History Workforce
  • Follow Up When You Get Home: If you have asked for someone’s business card or contact information, follow up with them when you get home. Remind them of how you met and ask a question to keep the conversation started in Cincinnati going. If they are a speaker or exhibitor (or AASLH staff), they talked to a lot of people at the conference. Don’t expect them to follow up with you. They will, however, be thrilled to know something they said sparked a follow-up question after the conference.

As an emerging history professional, you will not be able to attend every conference you want. Do your homework and choose one that is best for your future career goals. Then, make the most of the experience.

We hope to see you in Cincinnati on September 10-13!

Register for the Conference  |  Program and Conference Info  |  Become A Member