Conferences and Continuing Education

Sharpen your skills by attending training.

The following list is gathered by the Local History Services team. Please send updates as needed.

Sections
Workshops/Courses
On-Demand Workshops
Continuing Education Resources
Conferences/Meetings
Awards

Workshops/Courses

In-Person

MALHM History Happy Hour
October 8 @ 5:30 to 7:30 pm  - Marshall: Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums - Tour the Lyon County Historical Society, chat about what's going on at your organization, and enjoy food & drinks while networking with colleagues! Cost: Free. Learn more and RSVP »

Now Open: Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums Call for Session Proposals

The call for session proposals for the 2027 MALHM Annual Conference in St. Cloud is now officially open! MALHM is seeking proposals for sessions which will be held on Wednesday, April 14 and Thursday, April 15, 2027. 

The annual conference is designed for, but not limited to: history museum volunteers, paid staff, board members, and history/museum students. Topics are expected to address a broad range of work typically found in small to mid-sized local history organizations (operating a museum, archive, historic site or house, etc.). Learn more »

Online

Fundamentals of Nonprofit Finance
October 7 @ 9 am to 12 pm (CT) - Online: Propel Nonprofits - Build confidence in nonprofit financial management through an introductory workshop for new nonprofit staff, board members, and professionals new to nonprofit finance. Participants will learn essential terminology; review core financial reports, including the income statement (statement of activities) and balance sheet (statement of financial position); and clarify the distinct financial roles and responsibilities of staff and board members. Cost: $95. Learn more »

Connecting with Teachers and Students through National History Day
October 8 @ 2 to 3:15 pm (CT) - Online: American Association for State and Local History - Learn how partnering with National History Day can broaden your institution’s reach, advance its mission, and create professional-development opportunities for staff. Speakers from National History Day, the Tennessee Historical Society, the Utah Historical Society, and a small house museum will share perspectives and practical approaches for engaging teachers and students through the program. Cost: $25 members; $45 nonmembers. Learn more »

An Introduction to Tabletop Exercises for Cultural Heritage: Building Emergency Response Skills Through Scenario-Based Training 
October 8 @ 10:30 am to 12 pm (CT) - Online: TX-CERA - Learn how scenario-based tabletop exercises strengthen emergency preparedness for cultural heritage organizations. Topics include incident assessment, safety briefings, response roles, and developing an Incident Action Plan. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Making Communities Count: Census Engagement for Local History Museums
October 13 @ 1 to 2 pm (CT) - Online: Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums & Minnesotans for the American Community Survey and 2030 Census (MACS) - Census data plays a vital role in telling the stories of our communities. Local historians understand how powerful this information can be in documenting place, people, and change over time—but what role can museums and history organizations play in supporting the collection of census data? Cost: Free. Learn more »

Documenting America Wikipedia Course
October 13 @ 1 to 2 pm (CT), Tuesdays through December 8 - Online: Wiki Education and the American Association for State and Local History - Join a free, eight-week training course designed to help history practitioners bring accurate, evidence-based information about American history and local communities to Wikipedia. Through weekly virtual sessions, expert instruction, mentorship, and collaboration with fellow participants, registrants will develop practical Wikipedia editing and research-dissemination skills. The course supports the History & Democracy Initiative’s effort to strengthen the depth, completeness, and integrity of historical content on a platform used by hundreds of millions of readers. Participants will learn how to share their organization’s expertise, improve well-sourced public history information, and help audiences better understand the complexity and value of history. Cost: Free. Learn more & register »

Mold in Collections: A Panel Discussion
October 13 @ 10 to 11 am (CT) - Online: Conserv - Three experts will discuss mold identification, growth, treatment, and emergency response, including practical steps for the first 24 hours of an outbreak. Learn about active versus inactive mold, cleaning different materials, and deciding when to seek outside help. Designed especially for collections staff with limited conservation resources, the session concludes with a live Q&A. Learn more »

Build Your Own Clamshell Box Workshop
October 15 @ 1 pm (CT) - Online: Gaylord Archives - Conservator Rebecca Elder will demonstrate how to create an archival clamshell box from corrugated board. Learn when to use this storage enclosure, how to take metric measurements and transfer a template, and techniques for safe, accurate cutting. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Planning for Recovery: Understanding Insurance for Historic Buildings and Collections
October 15 @ 11 am (CT) - Online: Foundation for Advancement in Conservation - Learn how to incorporate insurance into emergency planning for historic buildings and collections. Using examples and case studies, this webinar will examine policy types, coverage and exclusions, contract terms, and insurance transactions. Participants will also learn how to work with insurance agents to secure advice and support for disaster recovery. Cost: $20. Learn more »

When Resources Fall Short: Supporting Museum Security Teams Through Technology
October 15 @ 1 pm (CT) - Online: International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection - Join IFCPP, Art Sentry, and the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts for a practical case study on using technology to support museum security teams facing staffing shortages, budget constraints, difficult gallery sightlines, and visitor concerns. Chief of Security Ken Nielsen and Art Sentry Sales Manager Carrie Heflin will discuss lessons learned and considerations for strengthening collection protection without compromising visitor experience, followed by a Q&A and peer discussion. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Nothing About Us Without Us: Engaging Authentically with Marginalized Communities
October 19 @ 9 to 10 am (CT) - Online: Ohio Museums Association - This Empowering Museum Voices Fellowship-led panel explores how museums can collaborate authentically with marginalized communities. Learn approaches to amplifying community voices without speaking over them, avoiding tokenizing or extractive practices, and incorporating diverse perspectives into respectful, relevant interpretation and programming. Cost: $15 members; $20 nonmembers. Learn more »

Practical Steps for Getting Started with Digital Preservation
October 21 @ 12:30 pm (CT) - Online: Pennsylvania State Archives Archives and Records Management - Explore introductory digital preservation concepts and achievable steps for launching an initiative at your organization. Topics include assessing current practices, inventorying digital materials, setting up a workstation, documenting workflows, and managing storage for preserved files. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Deaccessioning Deep Dive
October 21 @ 12 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: American Association for State and Local History - Explore the deaccessioning process from inventory and evaluation through documentation, processing, and final object transfer. Drawing on the Valentine Museum’s collection-refinement project, this workshop offers practical guidance for organizations of all sizes, budgets, and timelines, with time for questions and discussion. Limited to 30 participants; the workshop will not be recorded. Cost: $100 members; $150 nonmembers. STEPS participants receive a 10% discount with the community promo code. Learn more »

So…You Want a Museum Career? Part II
October 21 @ 10 to 11 am (CT) - Online: Southeastern Museums Conference - Hear candid insights from a museum career coach and professionals at different career stages about building and sustaining a museum career. Explore practical strategies for navigating the job market, developing essential skills, and growing your professional network, whether you’re entering the field or planning your next step. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Interpretive Planning for Museum Programs: Creating Meaningful Visitor Experiences Course
October 21 to November 11 @ 1 to 3 pm (CT), Wednesdays - Online: American Alliance of Museums - This four-week course helps museum professionals design programs that align institutional goals with visitor needs. Through case studies, collaborative exercises, and practical tools, participants will learn to develop interpretive themes, understand audiences, and incorporate evaluation into planning. Participants will gain skills to draft an interpretive plan for their institution or project. Limited to 30 participants. Cost: $349 members; $449 nonmembers. Learn more »

NAGPRA Essentials for History Organizations
October 22 @ 12 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: American Association for State and Local History - Bernstein & Associates NAGPRA Consultants will introduce the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, its updated 2024 regulations, and practical steps toward compliance and repatriation. Through case studies and discussion, participants will explore how to apply NAGPRA principles and build ethical, authentic partnerships with Native organizations. Limited to 30 participants. Cost: $100 members; $150 nonmembers. STEPS participants receive a 10% discount with the community promo code. Learn more »

Core Issues Briefing Series, Fall 2026
October 7 to November 4 @ 2 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: American Association for State and Local History - A five-part webinar series on urgent issues facing history organizations, including engaging younger generations, understanding the U.S. history sector and workforce, doing history in polarized times, and disaster preparedness. The series draws on AASLH research and partner expertise from Made By Us. Cost: $25 members/$45 nonmembers per webinar or $100 members/$205 nonmembers for a webinar bundle of all five. Learn more »

• October 7: Engaging Younger Generations at History Organizations

• October 14: Understanding the U.S. History Sector

• October 21: Doing History in Polarized Times

• October 28: Disaster Preparedness for History Organizations and Sites

• November 4: Understanding the U.S. History Workforce

Genealogy for Library, Archives and Museum Services
November 2 to December 13 - Online: University of Wisconsin–Madison iSchool - This six-week, instructor-led course is designed for library, archives, local history, and museum staff with little or no previous genealogy experience. Participants will build confidence in assisting patrons with family history research while developing practical knowledge of genealogical resources and services. Cost: $275. Learn more » 

Online Demand Courses

American Association for State and Local History - Arcus Leadership Program Courses
Specifically designed for emerging and mid-level professionals and volunteers, these self-paced courses help participants understand the most critical topics in the history field and incorporate that understanding into their work. Start these courses any time.

• Accessibility for Historical Organizations
• Creating Engaging Social Media Content for Historical Organizations
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for History Organizations
• Foundational Principles of LGBTQ+ Inclusion
• Introduction to Fundraising
• Introduction to Indigenous History
• Program Planning for Nonprofits 

Museum Collections Documentation and Data Cleaning
Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) and the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN) - Provides essential museum documentation information for museum staff with all levels of knowledge. It begins with an introductory overview and ends with specific documentation issues. Learners can take the modules in order or choose a module or two that fits their needs. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Preservation Housekeeping for Heritage Sites and Small Museums
Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) and the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN) - Covers guidelines, best practices and resources for the regular upkeep of historic interiors and exteriors as well as the contents of historic buildings. This one- to two-hour self-paced course has been designed for those who work or volunteer in small museums or heritage sites and who have little to no training in conservation. Learn more »

Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference Breakout Session Recordings
View conference recordings from the February 26-27 Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference Rochester.

• Digital Accessibility 101
• How AI Can Help, Not Hinder Your Work
• Podcasts Place in Tourism Marketing: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
• Multi-Cultural Diversity Advertising
• Outdoor Recreation for Economic Development
• Web Strategy That Works

Digital Stewardship Training Courses for Tribal Libraries, Archives, Museums, and Small Public Libraries
OCLC's WebJunction, in partnership with Washington State University's Center for Digital Scholarship and Curation, is creating a series of 10 free online courses for staff at tribal archives, libraries, museums (TALMs), and small public libraries on digital stewardship and community-centered curation of cultural collections. Learn more »

Finding New Sources of Funding in Challenging Times:
National Preservation Institute - This 45-minute on-demand course will help you think beyond traditional sources of financial support to fund cultural resource projects. Learn how to evaluate a cultural resource project for its value in serving broader community needs. Review traditional funding types versus alternative sources that can be redirected to meet project goals. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Document Conservation - Northeast Document Conservation Center has many webinar training programs on paper, books, and similar items and topics. Learn more »

Nonprofit Education - Propel Nonprofits and the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits feature local training.

Online continuing education

Technical Leaflets
The American Association for State and Local History (AALSH) offers hundreds of Technical Leaflets. These How-to guides are for those seeking information on management and administration, interpretation, research practices, preservation techniques, or any other subject related to public history practice. There’s probably a Technical Leaflet that will help. Free for AASLH members. AALSH also provides select technical Leaflets as free resources to nonmembers. Learn more »

MALHM Lending Library
Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums maintains a lending library service to provide access to titles that help organizations meet or exceed best practices and standards. Available titles can be viewed through an online portal, Libib.com. Patrons may only checkout or place holds on titles after creating a free account. The account will provide MALHM with basic patron information to track lent items and usage of the lending library. Learn more »

Museum Learning Hub Free Recorded Webinars: Managing Website Projects

These sessions help small museums handle website updates, redesigns, and digital platforms using step-by-step guidance, even with a small staff or volunteer team.

• Intro Session: Get Inspired! - Hear from museum professionals who manage flexible, affordable website projects with volunteers, staff, and community partners during periods of change.

   

• Technical Workshop 1: Plan for Success - Learn step-by-step methods, guides, and checklists for setting goals, planning project phases, and building a website team, even with limited staff.

   

• Technical Workshop 2: Setting Content Priorities - Learn how to organize website content, identify gaps, use tracking tools, and develop affordable ways to share stories online.

   

• Technical Workshop 3: Managing the Project - Participants learn how to manage technical resources, avoid common website project problems, plan a successful launch, and maintain a website after it goes live.

Museum Learning Hub Free Recorded Webinars: Managing Digitization Projects
These free recorded webinars from Museum Learning Hub guide museum staff through planning, carrying out, and sustaining digitization projects, from defining goals and managing budgets to metadata, imaging standards, workflows, and long-term digital preservation.

• Intro Session: Get Inspired! - Learn from museum staff who planned and completed digitization projects that made their collections available online, including their goals, budgets, partnerships, and technology choices.

• Technical Workshop 1: Digitization: Strategy and Purpose - Explore how to define your project’s purpose, audience, and access goals, and learn how metadata helps people find and use digital collections.

• Technical Workshop 2: How to Build a Digitization Project - Learn how to plan a digitization project, set priorities and goals, decide whether to work in-house or with a vendor, and prepare for long-term needs.

• Technical Workshop 3: Imaging Standards and Logistics in Digitization Projects - Learn how to choose equipment, set up workspaces, apply imaging standards, conduct quality checks, preserve files, and expand your digitization work over time.

Interpreting African American History and Culture Resource Kit
The American Association for State and Local History's free "Interpreting African American History and Culture Resource Kit" is made up of AASLH conference sessions, webinars, History News, technical leaflets, and books that address topics such as working with descendant communities, celebrating Juneteenth, interpreting slavery for a variety of audiences, and the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement on museum practice. Check it out »

Free Collections Care webinars
Connecting to Collections Online Community offers a series of free, online courses about the preservation of archival and historical collections. Check their website for dates and upcoming programming.

Planning for Changes in the Archives: 12 steps for undertaking collection relocation
Recorded Webinar: Midwest Archives Conference - The presenter walks through the 12 steps so you’ll have a framework to follow for your project. This framework helps focus your plans and ensures you consider possible options. These steps have been honed through experience moving archives and special collections materials. Watch video »

Webinar Recording: Oral History at a Distance: Conducting Remote Interviews
Oral History Association - This timely webinar addresses the dynamics of conducting remote oral history interviews. It begins with an analysis of the pros and cons of conducting distance oral history interviews, then addresses aspects of interviewing in a distance environment, breaking down the interviewer and narrator experience in these exchanges, and offer direction on best approaches for interviewing at a distance. This session will cover best practices for recording archival-quality oral history interviews, then discuss in depth the tools and techniques available to enable the user to follow best practices in a remote setting. Listen »

Webinar Recording: Insurance 101: Practical Considerations for Protecting Institutional Collections and Loans
Connecting to Collections - This webinar recording is appropriate for all levels of experience from beginner to expert as an introduction and review of collections insurance basics and how they are an integral part of collections care. We will examine loss prevention, loss control and how to protect the collection through good housekeeping, landscaping, managing patrons, and during transport of objects. In addition, examples of recent claims and outcomes to illustrate how insurance responds to loss and damage will be presented. Watch the recording »

A Guide to Approaching Audiovisual Digitization
This paper was written through support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The information discussed in the paper is meant to help collection holders prepare their materials and their technology systems for a digitization initiative, as well as give a brief overview of digitization workflows. There is also a discussion of some of the updates made to the BAVC workflow over the last two years. This section may be of interest to those interested in the technical and procedural aspects of digitization workflows. Download paper »

Community Reflection on Black Lives and Archives
Recorded Webinar: Society of American Archivists - Society of American Archivists’ statement on Black Lives and Archives. The vitality of American archives depends on the safety of archives workers and an explicit commitment to social responsibility, justice, and anti-racism in the work that we do and the organizations we work within. As part of this the SAA Council convened a forum of reflection to move toward healing and understanding, of which a recording of this event is now available. Listen »

'Talking About Race' Is a New Online Resource by the National Museum of African American History
Last week, The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) released a new, online portal discussing race, racism, and racial identity. The new web portal, “Talking About Race,” was launched as a way to help everyone, including families and communities, talk about racism and racial identity and the way these forces shape every aspect of society, from the economy and politics to the broader American culture. Learn more »

Online information for exempt organizations
IRS Exempt Organizations has developed an educational website with an online version of their popular workshop for Small and Mid-Sized 501(c)(3) organizations, plus mini-courses on other topics of interest, including information on the redesigned Form 990.

Reflecting on Museum Labor
A course in the Museum Studies program at University of Illinois at Chicago, centered on public engagement, produced a magazine/newspaper-style publication containing useful information about labor rights, history, and museums/places associated with celebrating labor movements and history. It also has interviews with folks in the field and activities like a custom labor-themed cocktail list. Download PDF »

Cultural Institutions at Times of Social Unrest
Recording of Carla Hayden and Lonnie Bunch discussing the future of their institutions and how they remain accessible and relevant during a period of global pandemic coupled with nationwide protests against injustice. Watch webcast »

Preservation 101
Northeast Document Conservation Center offers a set of free online courses in the basics of caring for objects.

Conferences in and around Minnesota

Awards

Minnesota History Awards
Since 2009, the Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums has recognized outstanding history work by local organizations at its Annual Meeting. A formal nomination process is conducted and reviewed by a panel of peers to determine award recipients. There are two award programs: the Minnesota History Awards and the Lifetime Achievement Awards. Learn more »

AASLH Leadership in History Awards
American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) bestows the Leadership in History Awards in recognition of excellence in the field of state and local history. Learn more »

Association of Midwest Museums Awards
Each year, the Association of Midwest Museums honors members throughout the Midwest region for leadership, career achievements, and best practices. Learn more »

• Distinguished Career Award: honors individuals in mid- to late museum careers whose leadership, vision, and creativity have positively impacted staff and communities, leading to lasting change in their institutions.
• Promising Leadership Award: recognizes individuals in the early stages of their museum careers (paid staff, interns, board members, and volunteers) who have demonstrated leadership through projects or service to teams/departments.
• Best Practices Award: recognizes innovative projects or community collaborations by museums and cultural organizations that advance best practices or establish new ones to fulfill their missions.
• Groundbreakers Award: honors museums or cultural organizations that have challenged conventions, confronted uncomfortable truths about their histories, and engaged in collaborative efforts for change. 

Midwestern History Association Awards

• Jon Gjerde Prize for best book on Midwestern history
  January 15 - (Deadline): The Jon Gjerde Prize is given annually by the Midwestern History Association to the author(s) of the best book on Midwestern history published during the previous calendar year (2024). Learn more »
• Dorothy Schwieder Prize for best article on Midwestern history
  January 15 - (Deadline): The Dorothy Schwieder Prize is awarded annually for the best article on Midwestern history published during the previous calendar year (2024). All articles on Midwestern history that were published in peer-reviewed journals are eligible for the prize. Learn more »
• Alice Smith Prize in Public History
  January 15 - (Deadline): The Alice Smith Prize in Public History honors a public history project completed in the previous calendar year (2024) that contributes to broader public reflection and appreciation of the Midwestern past. Projects by individuals, groups, community organizations, businesses, or other organizations or work done in support of such projects may be nominated. Learn more »