Museum Trends and Takeaways from AAM 2026

Breakout session at the American Alliance of Museums 2026 Conference. Image credit: RHR, Ryan Hodgson-Rigsbee

Every year, museum professionals from across the country gather at the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) annual conference to share ideas and reflect on the evolving role of museums in public life. With the United States nearing its 250th anniversary, this year's meeting in Philadelphia brought together professionals from across the country at a pivotal time in the nations history. Participants gathered to discuss the value museums bring to communities, especially in today's political climate, and how they continue to earn public trust in ways that few institutions still can.

The Opening Session

The conference opened with remarks from Philadelphia philanthropist Joe Neubauer, who argued that culture is not merely a byproduct of economic growth but a force that attracts talent and encourages investment. He pointed to Philadelphia, a city shaped not just by commerce and politics, but by writers, printers, intellectuals, and civic institutions.  

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro followed, emphasizing the important role museums play in strengthening communities and enriching public life. He noted that Pennsylvania's cultural institutions support roughly 24,500 jobs and generate approximately $2 billion in annual economic activity. Drawing on childhood memories of visiting the Franklin Institute, he spoke about the power museums have to inspire curiosity and shape lives, and argued that they serve as gathering places where people from different backgrounds can connect.

Shapiro's most pointed remarks addressed the importance of teaching history honestly and completely. He referenced the legal action his administration took in early 2026 to restore exhibits addressing slavery at Independence National Historical Park, warning against the erasure of difficult chapters of the American story. Invoking Benjamin Franklin's famous words after the Constitutional Convention, "A republic, if you can keep it" he argued that museums are central to democracy because they preserve collective memory and help each generation understand its responsibility to the future.

AAM Board Chair Devin Altman reinforced this point, noting that at a time when trust in many institutions has eroded, museums remain among the most trusted organizations in American public life — a distinction earned through expertise and service to communities.

The session also included the presentation of several AAM awards. The Nancy Hanks Memorial Awards for Rising Stars recognized emerging leaders in the field, while Museum Impact Awards honored individuals and programs making contributions through education and community engagement. The Distinguished Service to Museums Award went to Paula Gangopadhyay, who reflected on a career spanning museums, government, and philanthropy, emphasizing the importance of imagination and innovation in museum leadership.

AAM President and CEO Marilyn Jackson closed the opening session by taking stock of a challenging year and laying out an ambitious path forward. She acknowledged the political pressures and public scrutiny museums have faced, and credited the field with responding with resilience and adaptability.

Charisse Lillie was the keynote speaker at the American Alliance of Museums 2026 Conference. Image credit: RHR, Ryan Hodgson-Rigsbee

The keynote address was delivered by Charisse Lillie, who offered a deeply personal and wide-ranging reflection on museums as democratic institutions. Growing up in segregated Houston, she described how museums and cultural institutions helped her understand and appreciate Black history and identity at a time when mainstream institutions largely excluded Black audiences. She argued that museums play a critical role in telling the full, complex story of America, especially as the country marks its 250th year.

Lillie addressed the political pressures museums face today — censorship efforts, attempts to narrow historical narratives, and funding threats — while reminding the audience that museums have weathered similar challenges throughout history, from attacks on modern art in the 1950s to controversies at the Smithsonian. She urged museum professionals to take confidence from the strong public support that research consistently shows, and closed with a call for mentorship and solidarity, encouraging established leaders to invest in the next generation and younger professionals to build networks and stay engaged.

Beyond the keynote addresses, attendees had the opportunity to participate in a wide range of sessions examining the future of museums and their role in society. Here are a few that stood out:

The Future of Museums: Adapting for 2035 and Beyond

A panel moderated by Liz Murray of JCA, an independent consultancy for nonprofits and cultural organizations, brought together leaders from several major Philadelphia cultural institutions to discuss how museums are preparing for the next decade. The conversation was wide-ranging, but several clear themes emerged.

Vince Stango of the National Constitution Center described the institution's mission to educate the public about the U.S. Constitution through physical exhibitions and virtual programming, as well as classroom resources. He highlighted two new permanent galleries tied to the 250th anniversary and framed the period stretching to 2037 as a "Civic Decade," a sustained opportunity for civic engagement.

Selena Orton of the National Liberty Museum described her institution's focus on the "Year of Free Assembly," exploring civic gathering as a foundational democratic principle through historical, contemporary, and future-oriented exhibitions, including speculative visions of civic life in 2076.

The Franklin Institute, one of North America's earliest hands-on science centers, described plans for a new multimedia installation at the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial and cross-sector collaborations connecting science, sports, and entertainment.

Across the panel, a central debate emerged around audience engagement: are immersive, gamified, and interactive experiences a passing trend or a permanent shift? Panelists largely agreed that museums must meet audiences where they are, recognizing that emotional engagement, whether through excitement, curiosity, or quiet reflection, is essential. They described exhibitions, digital content, podcasts, and educational programs not as competing offerings but as an interconnected ecosystem that extends the museum experience beyond institutional walls.

Technology, particularly artificial intelligence, was a major topic. Panelists acknowledged that AI will significantly reshape museum operations and visitor engagement, but cautioned against overreliance and reactive policy-making. They warned that overly complex or short-lived tech installations can quickly become obsolete and stressed the need for strategic, sustainable adoption.

Textured exhibit displays at the the American Alliance of Museums 2026 Conference. Image credit: RHR, Ryan Hodgson-Rigsbee

Financial sustainability was a recurring concern. Panelists discussed the need for diversified revenue, stronger philanthropic engagement beyond local markets, and creative collaboration, including joint grant applications, shared programming, and pooled operational services such as security and IT. While full mergers remain rare and culturally difficult in the museum world, more flexible resource-sharing models were seen as a practical path forward.

On strategy, the group agreed that rigid 10-year plans are increasingly unworkable in a rapidly changing environment. Shorter, more adaptable planning cycles supported by a longer-term vision were recommended. Equity and audience inclusivity were also raised as critical ongoing challenges, with panelists stressing that museums must ensure visitors from all backgrounds can see themselves reflected in the stories being told. Workforce development rounded out the discussion, with speakers calling for better preparation of future leaders in business and operational skills alongside traditional curatorial training.

Museums, Health, and Human Well-Being

One of the conference's most thought-provoking sessions explored how museums are being reframed as spaces that support well-being and human development. The discussion centered on a new book, Activating Art Museums: Designing for Health Professions by Corinne Zimmermann, Ray Williams, and Ruth Slavin, which argues that museum experiences can play a meaningful role in fostering emotional resilience and humanism, especially among healthcare professionals.

Panelists from institutions including the University of Michigan Museum of Art, Harvard Art Museums, and the Blanton Museum of Art described decades of work building partnerships with medical and social work programs, as well as initiatives serving people with memory loss and aging populations. They outlined a range of museum-based practices designed to support well-being such as mindfulness exercises in front of artworks, small-group discussions that prioritize emotional and sensory responses, storytelling activities, and creative movement exercises.

A unifying idea across the session was that museums should be understood as "unfinished" institutions — dynamic, evolving environments that encourage reflection and personal meaning-making rather than static repositories of objects.That idea naturally expanded beyond institutions to the people they serve. Aging, too, was reframed as a process of ongoing growth, and museums were presented as vital spaces for creativity, connection, and purpose across the entire lifespan.

The Science of Art and Health

This theme was taken even further by the session led by Daisy Fancourt, whose book Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Save Lives makes an evidence-based case that the arts are a "fifth pillar of health" — as essential to well-being as diet, sleep, exercise, and time in nature. Fancourt, a professor of psychobiology, draws on neuroscience, psychology, immunology, and epidemiology to show how engaging with music, dance, and visual art reduces stress, depression, and pain, strengthens the brain, and lowers the risk of chronic disease.

Daisy Fancourt signing copies of her book, Art Cure, at the American Alliance of Museums 2026 Conference. Image credit: RHR, Ryan Hodgson-Rigsbee

Her definition of "art" is deliberately broad, encompassing not just traditional forms like painting and music but everyday creative activities like baking, gardening, and even magic tricks. The book provides practical guidance on how individuals can build their own "arts prescription" for better health, while also acknowledging the limitations of the research and avoiding an overly romanticized view. For museum professionals, Fancourt's work makes the case that what they do is more than culturally valuable, it's good for people's health.

A Sector That's Stronger Than It Looks

Taken together, the 2026 AAM Annual Meeting painted a picture of a sector under pressure but responding with conviction. The conversations in Philadelphia made clear that museum professionals are not standing still. They are building partnerships with healthcare systems, redesigning exhibitions for new audiences, experimenting with AI thoughtfully, advocating in Washington, and finding new ways to extend the museum experience beyond their walls. And through it all, they are holding fast to a core belief that museums are not a luxury. They are essential.

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