Leeds wins bid to host the 2024 Museums Association Conference

Established in 1889, the Museums Association is a dynamic membership organisation that works to inspire museums to change the lives of the communities they serve. It works collaboratively, inclusively and ethically to support and advocate for museums and those who work with and for them.

The Museums Association Conference has only been held in Leeds once before, almost 90 years ago in 1936, which saw 300 delegates attend. Following the support of conferencing bureau, Conference Leeds, the city will be welcoming Museums Association and its thousands of delegates back to Leeds between November 12 and 14.

With the ‘The Joy of Museums’ theme, the conference will focus on celebrating the innovation that makes our UK museums such special places to work and visit. This theme will be brought to life through sessions on storytelling, technology, health and wellbeing, and social justice.

Delegates will have the opportunity to see a musical experience from the Museum of Homelessness and social justice poet, Surfing Sofas, about the invisible stories of the UK homeless community. Plus, delegates will also hear from community activist, Michelle Charters, who is the first Black woman to lead the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool.

Leeds city centre and surrounding areas are home to a wealth of museums that bring visitors to the area from all over the globe. This includes Leeds Museums and Galleries, which is a local authority run museum service, featuring a family of nine heritage sites.

The conference will include tours and social events at a number of Leeds Museums and Galleries sites, including Leeds City Museum, Leeds at Gallery and Temple Newsam. There will also be tours of the recently redeveloped Henry Moore Institute.

Leeds is also home to the Royal Armouries, which is the host of this year’s Museums Association Conference, and is home to one of the oldest and extensive collections of arms and armoury in the world. Plus, it is the sister museum to the Tower of London.

Simon Stephens, the Head of Publications and Events at the Museums Association, said: “We’re so pleased to be returning to Leeds as an organisation for the first time since 1936. The conference and the city has developed so much in almost 90 years, and we’re so excited to hear from wonderful people in the sector as well as experience the excellent museums and galleries in the city.

“We have fantastic sessions planned for our in-person and online delegates. In particular our Museums Change Lives Awards are always a high point at our conferences as we have the opportunity to recognise the great work museums around the country are doing. Evening events and tours are always extremely popular too and everybody is excited to have the chance to explore Leeds.”

Claire Heap, Head of Conference Leeds, commented: “Leeds has an incredibly extensive variety of museums for residents and visitors of the city to enjoy. Everything from heritage and medicine to industrial and armoury can be seen in Leeds and it’s one of the huge tourism draws for our wonderful city.

“Everything the city has to offer with education in museums alone makes us so proud to be hosting the 2024 Museums Association Conference in November, and we look forward to welcoming their delegates to our city.”

To find out more about the conference, visit: https://www.museumsassociation.org/events/conference-2024/

Conference Leeds, the conferencing bureau for the city of Leeds, offers a free and impartial service to assist delegates in experiencing the exceptional. To explore your options ahead of your next conference, visit: www.conferenceleeds.co.uk/enquire/