2026 Maine Archives & Museums Annual Conference
Friday, October 2, 2026
University of Maine at Augusta  

REGISTRATION OPENS AUGUST 1

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Libby Bischof

Libby Bischof is Executive Director of the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education, Professor of History, and the inaugural University Historian at the University of Southern Maine, where she has taught courses in Maine History, History and Photography, Popular Culture, and Public History for the past 19 years. A visual and cultural historian of the 19th and 20th centuries, Bischof is interested in the ways in which friendship informs cultural production, especially in relation to landscape and place. A public historian, Bischof believes deeply in site-based, hands-on, place-based social studies education, and the ways in which teaching local and regional history can lead to deeper civic engagement. She lives with her husband, children, and new puppy Red in Gorham, Maine, and when she’s not working, she’s either reading, swimming, hiking in the woods, or sending postcards.

Pre and Post Conference Add-ons 
(free of charge but space is limited, must RSVP when registering for the conference)

Thursday, October 1:

10:00-12:00 Tours of Vaughan Woods & Historic Homestead, Hallowell
A Place Reconsidered: This tour will tackle how historic sites can reckon honestly with histories of colonialism and slavery while remaining meaningful, welcoming places for their communities—especially at a moment when telling the histories of traditionally marginalized people is increasingly contested. Participants will learn about ongoing work at Vaughan Woods & Historic Homestead (VWHH) to reinterpret a site long associated with the prominent Hallowell–Vaughan family. 
Historic Preservation and the Natural Landscape at Vaughan Homestead: Property Manager Dan Mitchell will lead a tour focused on the way in which principles of historic preservation, most commonly associated with buildings, are applied to the landscape at VWHH. Participants will learn about documentation and maintenance plans, as well as the evolving philosophy behind the preservation efforts at the site.

1:00-2:30 Beyond Martha’s Diary: Stitching History by Hand, Maine State Library, 230 State Street, Augusta
In this interactive session, learn how Maine State Library Reference Librarian Kelli Burnham developed the “What Martha Wore: Clothing in the Ballard Diary” program and discover how hands-on objects can bring archival materials to life. Participants will have the opportunity to try historical sewing techniques, including stitching a rolled hem, making a fabric or thread-wrapped button, weaving on a tape loom, and examining reproductions of original 18th-century clothing.

Friday, October 2: 

5:30-7:00 Student & New Professional Mixer, Viles Arboretum, 153 Hospital Street, Augusta
Whether you are a student considering a career in museums and archives, or you've taken on a new roll in the field and could use some pointers, join us for a post-conference mixer to learn more, ask questions that arose from sessions earlier in the day, and make further connections with professionals from around the state. Food and drink will be provided. Sponsored by Maine Historical Society.

Conference Schedule

Friday, October 2:

8:30-9:00 Registration & Continental Breakfast
9:00-915 Welcome 
9:15-10:15 Keynote
10:25 Breakout 1: Workshops* 
11:55-12:40 Lunch
12:40-1:40 Breakout 2: Classic breakouts**
1:50-2:20 Breakout 3: Lightning Sessions***
2:20-2:50 Afternoon Coffee Break & Poster Session****
2:50-3:50 Breakout 4: Classic breakouts**
4:00-5:00 Maine Archives & Museums Annual Meeting 

*Workshop topics include: Graphic Design on a Budget; Rising Above the Chaos: Applying the Active Collections Framework to Promote Resilience; From the Attic to the Vault: Scalable Solutions for Preserving and Organizing your Collections
**Breakout topics include: Researching a Working Farm of the Maine Insane Hospital and Taking Action; Commemorative Fatigue: Remembering the Revolution, 2025-2041!; Stewarding Long-Term Impact Through Strategic Endowment Management; State & Local Cultural Advocacy; Historic House Museums: Best Practices vs. Working Practices
*** Topics Include: What They Don't Teach You In School: Practical Advice for a Career in History; Reaching Maine's Homeschool Families; A Conversation about Membership Programs
****Topics include: 1 Beech Street, Lewiston, Maine; My Experience as a Historic Preservation Intern; Efficiently Using Passive Engagement Techniques; Revolutionary War Land Grants and the Environmental Aftermath of Indigenous Dispossession in Maine 

Full session descriptions coming soon!

Stay tuned to this page for more details and registration info!

Interested in being an exhibitor or a sponsor of this year's conference? Check out the available packages here!