Most history organizations are small but mighty, preserving local history for future generations. If you work at a small museum or historic site, be sure to attend the 2024 AASLH Annual Conference and attend the suggested sessions below.

All sessions are included with conference registration. The Small Museums Luncheon on Thursday is $42 and requires preregistration.

Save on conference registration by becoming an AASLH member and registering by the August 16 online deadline!

Wednesday, September 13 OR Saturday, September 14

Putting It All Together: Preparing for 2026 at Small History Organizations
Workshop
Cost: $45; Preregistration Required
The U.S. 250th is an opportunity to share history that tells everyone’s story and to strengthen the history field. AASLH has developed key resources to help practitioners both conceptually and concretely plan for this commemoration’s transformative potential. Attend this workshop to learn about the Making History at 250 field guide, our new handbook of low-resource programming ideas, and how to effectively apply these tools to your site or organization.

Thursday, September 12

Capturing Oral Histories

This session will help you understand and improve the skills needed to capture oral histories, from deciding which topics need to be recorded, identifying interview subjects, and determining who conducts the interview.

Small Museums Luncheon

Always a fun and informative event, this gathering is a chance to meet other staff and volunteers from small institutions, network, and share ideas through group discussions. We will hear a short presentation and, as always, there will be prizes. Everyone is welcome! Sponsored by Aurora Regional Fire Museum.

Small Museum, Big Impact: Steps for Ensuring Your Exhibition Resonates

Learn about a project that brought an under-represented history to the community through cultural and institutional collaboration. Panelists will discuss the motivation for and execution of the traveling exhibition “Artistry in Iron: Blacksmiths of New Orleans” and challenge attendees to apply the strategies of adaptable design and local partnerships at their small museums.

Surviving Disaster: Learn By Doing the Work

This session will provide practical steps to preparedness, response, and community involvement gleaned from the loss of eight museums and historic sites in the August 2023 Lahaina wildfire disaster.

Friday, September 13

Strategic Vision at Small Museums

This session will help jump-start strategic planning by exploring the crucial role of mission, vision, and value statements at small museums preserving local history amid global challenges. Learn to engage public audiences by expanding historical relevance to broader audiences.

FSA Tips: America 250 on a Shoestring
Building on the America 250 Programming Handbook, this session festures field services providers from across the country expanding on examples of how small history organizations can leverage resources to maximize 250th programming and impact.

Marketing 101: Minimal Effort for High Reward
This session focuses on basic marketing and communications practices you can implement in just 1 – 3 hours per week. Get the most out of your time and budget and see results!

Small Museums Affinity Committee Meeting

Have you ever wanted to deepen your connection with AASLH? Are you looking for ways to connect with other museum professionals and volunteers? Consider getting involved with the Small Museums Affinity Committee. Join us for our annual in-person meeting, where you can get to know committee members, meet others connected to small organizations, ask questions, share what needs you have, and learn about what we do. Everyone is welcome!

Saturday, September 14

Creative Approaches to Primary Sources

Discover innovative ways for using primary sources and connecting the past with the present. Attendees will participate in Black and Latino Studies lessons developed for high school students. Learn how the Connecticut Museum creatively utilized primary sources from their collection to highlight the importance of telling underrepresented local stories.

What I Wish I Learned in School: Small Museums Edition
In small museums all museum operations are the responsibility of only a few staff members, often just the director. These include liability insurance, taxes, and human resources regulations, and building operations and collections. A panel of small museum directors will share their experiences, including real-life situations, and places they found help.