We Are Museums.
Transformative spaces. Pillars of community. We elevate spirits and change lives. We inspire people to aspire. To imagine. To grow. We are museums. Connect with us.
NEMA is a community of museums and the professionals who work in them. We supply professional development, advocacy, thought leadership, research, networking opportunities, and other tools that cultivate their excellence as institutions and individuals.
Upcoming Events
Join the Conservators PAG for the first edition of "Ask the Conservators!" PAG Chairs Camille Myers Breeze and Barrett M. Keating will be joined by Michaela Neiro, Historic New England Conservation lab. Come ready with questions about your museum objects, furniture, and textiles! View the recording here.
Click here for details.
The Latest
2021 Annual Conference: Re/Create, Re/Charge, Re/Imagine
2021 is our opportunity. 2020 was a year of challenge and change, so what happens next? Where do we find ways to become re-inspired in our work, or newly inspired? What programs and connections do we rebuild, and what can we create that suits new needs? How do we rejoin the museum workforce, and what can we do to welcome new colleagues?
The 2021 NEMA Conference will once again be an online gathering rather than in person. We had planned to host the conference November 17-19 in Newport, Rhode Island. However, after a great deal of research and listening to our NEMA community, we have decided that an in-person conference would not be viable this year. Because of our change of plans, we are extending the deadline for our call for proposals until June 11. Details can be found here.
New England Museums NowThe fall/winter issue of New England Museums Now is now available. This issue features articles on museum actions to improve their practices and programs through a diversity and equity lens. Articles represent a variety of topics and perspectives. Read it online here.
Announcing NEMA’s Newest PAG: LGBTQ+ Museum Staff & Students
This group, currently set up as a closed Facebook Group seeks to create a safe, supportive space for LGBTQ+ museum professionals and students. Whether you are loudly and proudly out at work or not out at all, being queer in the workplace can be challenging. The public nature of museum work, prevalence of small museums, and histories of privilege can make it even more so. As part of this group, we can build better museums where staff, visitors, and volunteers can be their authentic selves, as well as connect with fellow LGBTQ+ folks. Read more here.
The 2020 NEMA Salary and Benefits Survey summarizes data on museum compensation collected from museums and similar organizations throughout the six New England States. Data was reported voluntarily by 144 organizations representing a variety of museum types and sizes, providing compensation information for 51 full-time positions as of July, 2019. Full details here.
The NEMA staff is currently working remotely. The best way to reach us is through email and we will respond to both your emails and voicemails in a timely manner.
NEMA 911
We are pleased to announce an important resource for NEMA members who need confidential advice from trusted colleagues. It's called "NEMA 911," a free service that connects you with seasoned museum professionals who will help you navigate challenging situations. NEMA 911 is available to executive directors, senior staff, and trustees who are NEMA members. Click here for details.
The board and staff of NEMA value inclusivity and honesty: we recognize that museums have work to do to reach their ideals of equity and justice. We encourage the museum field, in the face of this persistent racist violence against people of color and especially Black Americans, to take action to become better allies in the effort to dismantle systemic racism. NEMA staff and board will be working toward concrete ways to support this work with upcoming events and resources. We are grateful to the leadership of our colleagues at Museum Education Roundtable for compiling resources and recommendations for both individuals and organizations; please take a look at them: www.museumedu.org/mer-responds/