2026 GHHN Annual Conference & Awards for Excellence
What We’re Afraid Of: Challenges, Changes, and the Courage to Face Them
What We’re Afraid Of: Challenges, Changes, and the Courage to Face Them
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Tuesday, October 27, 2026
Hudson River Museum Yonkers, NY 9:00 AM - 4:45 PM GHHN Members: Early Bird Pricing until 9/1: $65 9/1 - 10/15: $75 Late Ticket (10/15 - 10/23): $85 NonMembers: Early Bird Pricing until 9/1: $75 9/1 - 10/15: $85 Late Ticket (10/15 - 10/23): $95 Student (with valid ID): $45 2026 Awards for Excellence Awardee: $45 Registration closes 10/23 |
What We're Afraid Of: Challenges, Changes, and the Courage to Face Them
Museums and cultural organizations are navigating a moment of real uncertainty and rapid change. Financial pressures, staffing shortages, deferred maintenance, shifting audiences, political headwinds, and evolving expectations of our work and the pressures to stay relevant are shaping daily decision-making across the field.
What We’re Afraid Of: Challenges, Changes, and the Courage to Face Them invites museum professionals to engage these realities directly — not to dwell on fear, but to name what feels uncertain and share how we are responding. This theme creates space for honest reflection, practical problem-solving, and meaningful exchange about how our institutions and roles continue to evolve. Join us the beautiful Hudson River Museum, Westchester's largest cultural institution, for a full day of learning, conversation, and connection. The Annual Conference will once again feature the extremely popular "Follow the Speaker" format, designed to foster more direct engagement with presenters. During the conference, you'll have a chance to explore inspiring galleries, showcasing American art from Hudson River School masterpieces to contemporary installations. The day also includes networking, office hours with grant funders, a light breakfast, luncheon, full-day exhibit hall, Awards for Excellence ceremony, poster session, and more.
From managing unexpected attention online to rethinking collections, navigating AI, taking institutional risks, and responding when funding loss looms, this year’s conference brings together colleagues who are tackling some of the biggest challenges facing museums and history organizations today. Click the button below to see the full conference program.
How the "Follow the Speaker" Format Works:
Our innovative "Follow the Speaker" format ensures that attendees don't have to miss any speaker! 8-minute TEDx style talks to all Conference attendees means you get to hear all the speakers and then can choose which ones you'd like to "Follow" for deeper discussion and Q&A.
The Conference is divided into blocks of speakers - each presenter will present to ALL Conference attendees. Within each block, speakers will have 8 minutes to present a TEDx style talk. At the conclusion of the block, all the speakers from that block go to a separate space where interested participants can come to sit and chat with presenters to ask their questions directly and engage in conversation for up to 30 minutes.
Join us at the 2026 GHHN Annual Conference and find out why attendees have said our Conference "has always been a favorite: nice crossover between different types of cultural heritage organizations, nice size, informative sessions, lots of camaraderie, and true warmth from the GHHN staff!"
We hope to see you there!
2026 Awards for Excellence Announced!
GHHN's Awards For Excellence program seeks to recognize and commend exceptional efforts among GHHN members. Awards are made to projects that exemplify creativity and professional vision resulting in a contribution to the preservation and interpretation of the historic scene, material culture, and diversity of the region. Awards will be presented at the 2026 GHHN Annual Conference,to be held on Tuesday, October 27 at the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, NY.
Click here to learn more about the 2026 Awardees.
GHHN's Awards For Excellence program seeks to recognize and commend exceptional efforts among GHHN members. Awards are made to projects that exemplify creativity and professional vision resulting in a contribution to the preservation and interpretation of the historic scene, material culture, and diversity of the region. Awards will be presented at the 2026 GHHN Annual Conference,to be held on Tuesday, October 27 at the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, NY.
Click here to learn more about the 2026 Awardees.
The 2026 Annual Conference and Awards for Excellence is generously supported by:
Diamond Level Sponsors
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Luncheon Sponsors
Platinum Level Sponsors
A/V Sponsors
Speaker Sponsors
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Gold Level Sponsors
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Awards for Excellence Sponsors
Silver Level Sponsors
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Tote Bag Sponsors |
Lanyard Sponsors |
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Bronze Level Exhibitors
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Art Conservation Services |
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Coffee Break Sponsors
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Host
Conference Program Advertisers & GHHN Friends
Alice Arias, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Corcoran Baer & McIntosh
Cathy Mackenzie Fine Furniture Care
Deborah Rossi, Museum Consultant/Curator
Fairway Accounting
Kasia Maroney Conservation
Kerry Sclafani Photography
Nadia Ghannam, Fine Art Conservation
Rhonda Feinman Custom Frames
SAM Fundraising Solutions
Stephen Tilly, Architect
Textile Conservation Workshop
Works on Paper
Zephyr Preservation Studio
Alice Arias, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Corcoran Baer & McIntosh
Cathy Mackenzie Fine Furniture Care
Deborah Rossi, Museum Consultant/Curator
Fairway Accounting
Kasia Maroney Conservation
Kerry Sclafani Photography
Nadia Ghannam, Fine Art Conservation
Rhonda Feinman Custom Frames
SAM Fundraising Solutions
Stephen Tilly, Architect
Textile Conservation Workshop
Works on Paper
Zephyr Preservation Studio
Psst...Interested in sponsoring, exhibiting, or advertising at the GHHN Annual Conference? Click here to learn more!
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GHHN programming, including the 2026 Annual Conference and Awards for Excellence, is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. |