The 2026 conference theme asks how museum documentation has been shaped by the contexts in which it was produced, and how it can be rethought for more open, accountable and collaborative futures.
Museum documentation is at the heart of collections work. It records provenance, ownership, classification, interpretation, rights, conservation, movement, access and meaning.
Yet documentation also reflects historical choices: what was recorded, what was omitted, which languages were used, which categories were applied, and whose knowledge was recognised.
This conference invites participants to examine the historical, ethical, technical and social dimensions of documentation practice. We welcome proposals that reflect on both critical challenges and practical solutions.
Deadline submission proposals 3 August 2026
