2026 Workshops
Each workshop:
$20 for GHHN Members $25 for NonMembers To register for either multiple or individual sessions, please click the Register Here button below
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Revolutionary Roundtables
Revolutionary Roundtables is a five-part, half-day workshop series designed to help museum and historic site professionals strengthen interpretation, visitor experience, and public engagement. Through participatory exercises, site-based exploration, and collaborative problem-solving, each session offers practical tools for improving how collections and historic spaces are presented and experienced. Timed to coincide with the nation’s 250th anniversary, the series invites participants to experiment with new approaches to storytelling, digital tools, collaboration, and flexible interpretation while remaining grounded in the real-world constraints and opportunities facing collecting institutions today. Participants will leave with fresh ideas, strategies, and actionable plans they can implement at their own sites. Rethinking Visitor Experience Monday, April 20 Philipsburg Manor, Sleepy Hollow 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM This participatory workshop invites museum and historic site professionals to rethink how visitors move through, engage with, and understand historic spaces. Working collaboratively inside the host site, participants will examine visitor pathways, interpretive touchpoints, and moments of friction or opportunity within the visitor experience. Through hands-on exercises and discussion, attendees will experiment with alternative layouts, interpretive strategies, and visitor-centered approaches that move beyond signage alone. Participants will leave with practical tools and ideas for improving clarity, accessibility, and engagement at their own sites. Collaborative Interpretation Friday, May 1 Montgomery Place at Bard Colllege, Red Hook 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM Focused on shared authority and participatory practice, this workshop centers collaboration as a core interpretive strategy. Participants will explore ways to involve colleagues, community members, and audiences in shaping interpretation, from exhibition planning to program development. Through guided discussion and group activities, attendees will practice collaborative frameworks, examine real-world challenges, and design approaches tailored to their own institutional contexts. The workshop provides space to test ideas, ask difficult questions, and develop actionable plans for implementing collaborative interpretation in meaningful and sustainable ways. Digital Tools for Interpretation Thursday, May 14 Thomas Cole National Historic Site, Catskill 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM This workshop explores how digital and low-tech tools can be used thoughtfully to enhance interpretation without overshadowing historic spaces or collections. Participants will examine examples of digital interpretation—including projection, interactive media, and mobile-friendly approaches—and discuss how technology can support storytelling, broaden access, and invite participation. Hands-on prototyping activities will guide attendees in developing realistic, scalable ideas suited to institutions of varying sizes and resources. The session emphasizes intentional use of tools in service of interpretation, rather than technology for its own sake. Enhancing Museum Narratives Wednesday, July 22 Historic Huguenot Street, New Paltz 9:30 AM - 12-30 PM This workshop helps participants critically examine the stories told through their collections and consider how narrative choices shape public understanding. Working together in a historic setting, attendees will review interpretive content, identify gaps or assumptions, and experiment with alternative narrative structures that allow for greater complexity and inclusion. Hands-on activities will focus on refining interpretive language, sequencing information, and presenting multiple perspectives clearly and responsibly. Participants will leave with strategies and draft concepts they can use to strengthen and refresh interpretation at their own institutions. Pop-Up Exhibits & Public Engagement Tuesday, October 6 Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site, Yonkers 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM Designed around experimentation and flexibility, this workshop explores how temporary and mobile interpretation can extend museum storytelling beyond traditional galleries. Participants will work collaboratively to design and prototype low-cost pop-up exhibits and public-facing interventions that can be deployed in outdoor spaces, lobbies, or community settings. The session emphasizes adaptability, audience engagement, and rapid testing of ideas, allowing institutions to respond creatively to current themes or visitor needs. Participants will leave with practical models and a toolkit of approaches for implementing pop-up interpretation at their own sites. Space is limited to 25 participants per workshop |
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The Revolutionary Roundtables workshop series is funded by the Hudson River Valley Greenway/Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. The Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area was established by Congress in 1996 and is funded through the National Park Service and Department of the Interior. The mission of the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area is to recognize, preserve, protect and interpret the nationally significant historic, cultural and natural resources of the Hudson River Valley for the benefit of the Nation. The Hudson River Valley Greenway is the management entity for the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. For more information, visit www.hudsonrivervalley.com.
This workshop is FREE, but registration is required!
Light breakfast, lunch, and resources are included. Space is limited. |
Grant Info Workshops
Is your cultural heritage organization in need of funding? Make sure to join us for the first of our 2026 grant info workshops! Bring your questions and hear presentations on the grant funding and opportunities our organizations offer. Grant Info Workshop Thursday, June 18 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM Taylor Wine Museum (on the grounds of Bully Hill Vineyards) 8843 Greyton H Taylor Memorial Dr Hammondsport, NY 14840 FREE, but registration is required! Representatives from the following organizations will present: (check back soon - additional presenters awaiting confirmation!) GHHN will provide an overview of the NYSCA/GHHN Conservation Grant Program, which supports conservation treatment, preservation supplies, and site assessments for three-dimensional objects held by museums and cultural organizations across New York State. The Preservation League of New York State will present its newly consolidated Preserve NY Arts & Culture grants, including Support for Pre-Construction Studies and Support for Arts-Based Community Preservation Projects. Documentary Heritage and Preservation Services for New York (DHPSNY) will discuss its Planning and Assessment Services and will be joined by the New York State Library and New York State Archives to share funding opportunities supporting library and archival collections statewide. The South Central Regional Library Council will highlight grant opportunities available to its members to support library and cultural initiatives. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation will discuss Environmental Protection Fund Historic Preservation Grants, available to municipalities and nonprofit property owners for preservation, rehabilitation, and planning projects related to historic properties listed on the State or National Registers of Historic Places. |
Have an idea for a program you'd like us to run? Let us know!