KMHA 2026 Annual Conference – “Commonwealth, Common Work”

REGISTER HERE: https://www.zeffy.com/…/kmha-annual-conference…

This year’s theme is “Commonwealth, Common Work.” Kentucky is one of only four American states also considered a “commonwealth.” Even though this designation has few legal implications for Kentuckians, the concept of a commonwealth—at its heart, a community formed to serve the common weal, or common well-being—does have profound philosophical implications.

KMHA invites you to explore how our work—as public historians, preservationists, museum and arts professionals, parks administrators, avocational humanities advocates, and other lovers of Kentucky’s culture—is essential to ensuring the well-being of everyone who calls the Commonwealth home.

As the nation as a whole reflects on its 250th anniversary, we have an opportunity to do our own reflection in Kentucky. What does it mean for the arts, history, and heritage institutions authentically to unite for the common public good? How can we infuse the service we provide to our communities, and to each other, with the deeper meaning of “commonwealth”? Can we further broaden our interpretation of our shared cultural inheritance? What is our responsibility to those who will inherit our cultural landscape in the future?

Some conference highlights include:

>>Sessions, exhibits, and networking at the River Discovery Center on the historic Paducah riverfront (session descriptions and presenters will be released in mid-March)

>>Opening block party at the Hotel Metropolitan, complete with hotel tours, living history performances, live music, and food, all offered in a dynamic celebration of Paducah’s historic Black community in “Upper Town”

>>Optional pre-and-post-conference field trips and experiences in the area, including The Super Museum (Metropolis, IL), Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site, and the National Quilt Museum.

SESSION SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN, SUBMIT HERE:
https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSfbLsQCLrN…/viewform…

Session submissions close February 28, 2026, and the full conference schedule will be released in mid-March. Visit our website for more information:
https://kymuseums.org/conference/

Thank you to our generous sponsors:
Ancestry
Filson Historical Society
Kentucky Derby Museum
Kentuckians for the Arts
Kentucky Historical Society
Solid Light, Inc.
National Society, Sons of the American Revolution
South Union Shaker Village
University Press of Kentucky