The Association for Art Museum Interpretation (AAMI) meets annually to share best practices and experiences. Formerly known as the Interpretive Planners Group, the AAMI annual meeting includes two days of professional development, connection, and fun.
Our in-person convenings typically include two days of interdisciplinary panels, presentations, in-gallery exploration, and roundtable discussions addressing many of our field’s most pressing issues: establishing shared language, advocating for our work, and supporting self-care and professional development. Rapid-fire case study presentations will spark your imagination and topical roundtable conversations will provide you with new perspectives on old problems.
The 2025 convening will take place on November 6 and 7 in Washington, D.C. at the National Gallery of Art.
AAMI 2024 Convening:
New York, New York October 10 and 11
The 2024 convening took place in New York City on October 10th and 11th. It was hosted by The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
AAMI 2023 Convening:
San Francisco, California October 12 and 13
The 2023 convening took place in the San Francisco Bay Area on October 12th and 13th. It was hosted by a consortium of Bay Area art museums:
Asian Art Museum
Fine Arts Museums (de Young and Legion of Honor)
Museum of the African Diaspora
Oakland Museum of California
Thursday, October 12, 2023: Convening Day 1
Morning and lunch at the de Young Museum, 8:30-2:00 PM
- Keynote talks by Dori Tunstall, author of Decolonizing Design: A Cultural Justice Guidebook and Anna Lisa Escobedo of New Monuments Task Force
- Kehinde Wiley: An Archaeology of Silence interventions and experience
- Self-guided gallery time
Afternoon/evening at the Asian Art Museum, 3:00-7:00 PM
AAMI announcements
Case Studies from the Field
Re-History project workshop on interpreting around provenance and challenging object histories
Friday, October 13, 2023: Convening Day 2
Morning at Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD), 9:00AM-1:00PM
- Chief Curator Key Jo Lee on revamped interpretive strategy
- Break out rooms and in galleries
- Case Studies from the field
Afternoon/evening at Oakland Museum of California, 2:00-8:00PM
Friday Nights at OMCA, food trucks (starting at 5pm) and entertainment (around 6pm).
Interpretive Strategies accommodating artists and visitors with disabilities for Into the Brightness co-created with NIAD, Creative Growth, and Creativity Explored.
Interpretive elements and strategies in the core Art, History, and Natural Sciences galleries.
Data Dialogs with evaluation staff researching visitor talkbacks in core galleries.
AAMI 2022 Convening:
Denver, Colorado July 28th & 29th
The 2022 convening took place in Denver, Colorado on July 28th and 29th. It was hosted by the Denver Art Museum.
July 28, 2022: Convening Day 1
Doors open at 9:00 for Check-in and breakfast
9:30 – 12:00
- Welcome & Opening Remarks
- Keynote Speaker and Q&A with Dr. Porchia Moore, Program Head of Museum Studies, University of Florida
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00- 4:30
- Gallery Explorations
- Panel with Denver Art Museum Interpretive Specialists
- Case Studies
5:30 – 8:00 DAM Summer Celebration
July 29, 2022: Convening Day 2
Doors open at 9:00 for Check-in and breakfast
9:30 – 12:00
- AAMI Welcome & Updates
- Case Studies
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-2:50 Breakout Sessions
3:00-4:00 Closing Program
6:00-10:00 Untitled: Creative Fusions (entire DAM open)
Questions? Please email artmuseuminterpretation@gmail.com.