ICMM - Tuesday 15 SeptemberICMM - Tuesday 15 September 

Morning

0830 - 0930	Registration desk open
	Ben Lexcen Terrace
0900 - 0945	Tomorrow's Museums Keynote + Q&A
	Theatre

0945 - 1030	Panel discussion
	Theatre
	Daryl Karp, Australian National Maritime Museum, Australia (chair)
	Seb Chan, Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Australia
	Hanna Hagmark, Åland Maritime Museum, Åland Islands
	Naomi Slipp, New Bedford Whaling Museum, United States of America
1030 - 1045	Break
	Ben Lexcen Terrace
1045 - 1200	Plenary session on Tomorrow's Museums
	Theatre
	Sally Archer, Royal Museums Greenwich, United Kingdom (chair)
	Sarah Giersing, The M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark, Denmark
	Jason Fair, Western Australian Museum, Australia
	Jeongsun Lee, Incheon National Maritime Museum, South Korea
	Robert Domzal, National Institute for Museums Warsaw, Poland

Afternoon

1200 - 1315	Lunch
	Ben Lexcen Terrace
1315 - 1415	Focus Presentations - Museums and Action: Common Problems, Outstanding Solutions
	Theatre
	Ece Çetín Erkut (chair)
	Matthew Tanner, Compass Heritage, United Kingdom
	Diana Lorentz, Jervis Bay Maritime Museum, Australia
	Shannon McKenzie, Mystic Seaport Museum, United States of America
	Nanette Louchart-Fletcher,  Australian National Maritime Museum, Australia
	Yuna Kim, Incheon National Maritime Museum, South Korea
	Valérie Vattier, Maritime Museum of New Caledonia, New Caledonia
	Enric Garcia-Domingo, Maritime Museum of Barcelona, Spain
	Tomasz Bednarz, National Maritime Museum Gdansk, Poland
1430 - 1500	Networking break
	Ben Lexcen Terrace
1500 - 1630	Workshops (See below for details)
	Applying the Maritime Refugee Project: Global Case Studies from ICMM Museums
	Challenges in Maritime Archaeology
	Maritime Museums and the UN Decade of Ocean Science
	Why do we have websites? A practical exploration of what audiences need
	Sustainable future museums
1715 - 1900	Australian Museum tour and reception

Applying the Maritime Refugee Project: Global Case Studies from ICMM Museums

Session lead: Christina Connett Brophy

Session description: A session of case studies will show where the ICMM Maritime Refugee Project is right now, and how learnings have translated into practice. This allows participants to compare methods, learn from challenges, and identify adaptable approaches. The workshop will include a cooperative section where everyone can participate to develop ideas for the project. Together, these case studies and the collaborative workshop component explore how maritime museums can responsibly engage refugee histories with care, courage, and contemporary relevance.

Case studies and leads:

• Dr Roland Leikauf, Australian National Maritime Museum, Curator Post-war Immigration - Sydney uses vessels, objects and 3d-printed models to engage effectively with local refugee communities. This mix of approaches is flexibly adapted to each unique migrant community. Roland will present his oral history and exhibition work focused on the Vietnamese diaspora in Australia.
• Anna Arnberg, SWEDISH NATIONAL MARITIME, TRANSPORT AND MILITARY MUSEUMS, Head of Research and Cultural Heritage Unit - Sweden is working in close partnership with the Vabamu Museum, linking escape from the Baltic States to Sweden with onward migration to Canada, South America, and South Africa.
• Dr. Enric Garcia Domingo, Museu Marítim de Barcelona, Director general - Barcelona has interpreted a refugee vessel with the local community. They will share the ideas behind the project, including its goals and the decision to raise awareness that is generating discussion and controversy.
• Christina Connett Brophy, PhD, Maritime Museum of San Diego, President and CEO - San Diego is connecting Vietnamese Boat People with Vietnam veterans aboard the Swift Boat PCF-816, while navigating the ethical complexity of collecting a contemporary refugee panga. A partnership with the Alliance for Africa extends the story beyond the boat to what comes after arrival.
• Dr Dacchi Dang, independent artist, Sydney - Dacchi is an experienced artist. He fled from Vietnam by boat. Dacchi’s photography-based art practice spans more than three decades. He explores the possibilities of visual language, our memories, and the complex emotional realities of our life experiences.

Format: A structured interactive workshop including short case-study presentations, artist and community participation, and group discussions based on distributed questions.

Target audience: The workshop is suitable for anyone interested in the subject matter, particularly institutions with collections, communities, or programs connected to refugee stories, past and present.

Participant preparation: Organisers would like to distribute materials in advance, including links to related ICMM talks from Halifax and Amsterdam, an overview of the project journey to date, advance questions for discussion and reflection, and links to resources and the Refugee Project webpage.

Venue: Wharf 7 Onslow

 

Challenges in Maritime Archaeology

Session lead: Peta Knott

Session description: Maritime archaeology faces challenges that extend beyond the investigation of sites, encompassing the conservation and interpretation of collections, institutional responsibilities, changing policy frameworks, and the need for meaningful community involvement. This session brings together three perspectives of challenges from museums and heritage organisations which will inform a discussion on broader issues in the discipline. Presentations will cover the development of an online course to build global museum capacity in caring for marine archaeological collections, the opportunities and institutional challenges of managing maritime archaeology within Norway’s maritime museums, and emerging community-led approaches to maritime heritage management in South America. Together, the papers highlight different responses to shared challenges and consider how maritime archaeology can develop through collaboration, education, inclusive practice and sustainable heritage management. The presentations will be followed by discussion of the issues raised and their wider relevance to the sector.

Speakers: Marcelo Weissel (Museo Arqueológico de La Boca), Per Kristian Sebak (Bergen Maritime Museum), Peta Knott (Nautical Archaeology Society), Fred Hocker (Vasa Museum).

Format: The three short presentations will be followed by a panel discussion and audience participation facilitated by Fred Hocker.

Target audience: Maritime archaeologists, museum and heritage professionals and volunteers and others involved in the management, conservation, interpretation or use of maritime archaeological heritage.

Participant preparation: Participants are encouraged to consider the challenges faced within their own contexts and to bring examples, experiences and ideas to the discussion.

Venue: Lighthouse Gallery

 

Maritime Museums and the UN Decade of Ocean Science

Session lead: Charlotte Jarvis

Session description: Cultural heritage is essential for encouraging engagement with the ocean: it provides historical context for contemporary marine policy, strengthens public understanding of sustainable ocean futures, and connects communities to major challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and coastal inequity. From Indigenous stewardship to maritime archaeology, heritage supports “the science we need for the ocean we want.” As a recognised partner of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-30, the Ocean Decade Heritage Network (ODHN) leads the global cultural heritage response through the Cultural Heritage Framework Programme (CHFP), helping integrate heritage into ocean science, policy, and management. CHFP builds a global network linking researchers, practitioners, and communities, fostering collaboration and elevating heritage work internationally. This workshop positions museums as contributors to ocean sustainability by linking heritage to ocean science, translating marine challenges for the public, and strengthening community engagement. It includes an overview of the Ocean Decade, its relevance to museums with global examples, and a tutorial on applying for Ocean Decade accreditation and participating in our work.

Format: The workshop will be a presentation followed by Q&A. We will share details about the Decade endorsement process, walking through the steps, and hear testimonies from projects already endorsed. Then, there will be time for questions about the process and a group discussion about project ideas for endorsement.

Target audience: Museum practitioners keen to have their work affiliated with the Decade. This could be anything from exhibitions and research projects to public programming activities. The workshop is suitable for any audience but particularly those working in digital, education, conservation and exhibitions.

Participant preparation: Attendants should come with questions and potential ideas for projects for endorsement.  

Venue: Terrace Room

 

Why do we have websites? A practical exploration of what audiences need

Session lead: Megan Baehnisch

Session description: This hands-on workshop explores what visitors need from a museum’s online presence and considers how we can deliver that information in ways that are both simple and engaging. 

Diving into user experience design principles (UX), participants will put themselves into the shoes of various audience groups – considering their perspectives and how they interact with museums of all types and sizes. Through participating in collaborative activities and group discussions, attendees will gain a broader understanding of different museum visitors and the questions they might ask of our websites.

We will examine the case study of the Australian National Maritime Museum’s award-winning website, as well looking at other leading examples from around the world. Participants will leave the session with a greater understanding of UX and have real insights they can then use within their own organisations for a range of projects.

Format: Interactive workshop

Target audience: No prior knowledge is required and delegates working across all departments are encouraged to attend.

Participant preparation: Please bring a mobile device or computer with internet access as this is recommended to enable full participation in the activities during this workshop.  

Venue: Vampire

 

Sustainable future museums

Session lead: Emily Jateff & Laura Boon-Williams

Session description: Explore how ICMM can support understanding of common sustainability challenges and explore solutions. The discussion will consider whether ICMM should adopt a sustainability policy, what additional resources could support members, and how museums can balance immediate financial, operational, and governmental pressures with a longer-term vision for a sustainable future. The session will provide a safe space for senior museum leaders to share successes, challenges, and concerns openly.

Format: A facilitated roundtable discussion for a small group, held under Chatham House rules.

Target audience: CEO, Director, and senior management-level representatives interested in sustainability strategy, institutional leadership, operational resilience, and the role of ICMM in supporting members’ sustainability goals.

Participant preparation: Participants will receive discussion topics in advance and are encouraged to come prepared to share practical examples of sustainability successes, challenges, pressures, and future needs from their own institutions.

Venue: Theatre