Upcoming Conference

2025 Mississippi Museums Association Conference

The Mississippi Museums Association (MMA) is thrilled to invite you to our 2025 Annual Conference, taking place September 7–8 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. This year’s conference will bring together museum professionals from across the state for a day of inspiration, collaboration, and connection.

The conference provides opportunities for professional development, workshops, and networking with peers from across the state.

  • Sunday, September 7:
    We’ll kick off with a festive welcome event at Serengeti Springs, the newly expanded water park at the Hattiesburg Zoo.

    1700 Hardy Street, Hattiesburg

  • Monday, September 8:
    The full conference day will take place at the beautifully restored Eureka School, located in downtown Hattiesburg’s Sixth Street Museum District. This historic venue will host a variety of sessions, networking opportunities, and more.

    410 E. Sixth Street, Hattiesburg

The 2025 Annual Business Meeting of the Mississippi Museums Association will be held during the conference at 12pm on September 8, following the luncheon.

If you are a member or interested in joining MMA, this is a great opportunity to meet the Board of Directors, hear about updates and scholarship opportunities from the organization, and let your voice be heard as we elect Board members!

REGISTRATION

Registration is now live! Please register by August 28 so we can have an accurate count for food and events.

MMA accepts personal and institutional checks and credit cards.

Click here to register for the 2025 Conference and pay online.

For check payments, click here to download the 2025 Conference Registration Form.

SCHEDULE

Sunday, September 7

5:00 - 7:00 p.m. - Welcoming Social at Serengeti Springs Water Park

  • We’ll kick off with a festive welcome event at Serengeti Springs, the newly expanded water park at the Hattiesburg Zoo! Hors d'oeuvres and drinks will be served. Don’t forget your bathing suit!

Monday, September 8

8:00 - 10:00 a.m. - Registration at Eureka School

9:00 - 9:45 a.m. - Concurrent Session 1 (2 options)

  • NAGPRA, MDAH, and the Repatriate Mississippi Initiative, Presented by Cindy Carter-Davis, Chief Archaeologist, Mississippi Department of Archives & History, Jackson

  • Bringing Science Education into Art Museum Programming, Presented by Sandra Bilbo, Director of Arts & Environmental Education, Walter Anderson Museum of Art, Ocean Springs

10:00 - 10:45 a.m. - Malt Break at Smith Drug Company

11:00 - 11:45 a.m. - Concurrent Session 2 (2 options)

  • Digitizing Museum Collections with Limited Resources, Presented by Elizabeth La Beaud, Director, Mississippi Digital Library, Hattiesburg and Amanda Wade, Museum Archivist, Mississippi Armed Forces Museum, Camp Shelby

  • Addressing Burnout among Museum Professionals, Presented by Amie C. Clark, Historical Interpreter & Volunteer Coordinator, Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum, Jackson

12:00 - 1:15 p.m. - Luncheon and Keynote speaker, followed by Annual Business Meeting

  • Keynote - Telling Our Story: America250 in Mississippi, Presented by Dr. Stuart Rockoff, Executive Director, Mississippi Humanities Council

1:30 - 2:15 p.m. - Session 3

  • Writing a Disaster Plan, Presented by Tommie Rodgers, Registrar, Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, Laurel

2:30 - 3:15 p.m. - Session 4

  • Opening the Doors: How the Black History Gallery Connects History to Everyday Life, Presented by Kevin Brown, Director, Black History Gallery, McComb

3:30 - 4:30 p.m. - Tour of the Sixth Street Museum District

Accommodations

A block of rooms has been reserved at Hotel Indigo Hattiesburg, 103 South 30th Ave. Click here or call 601-264-7709 to make arrangements by August 17.

Other hotels in the area include:

  • Holiday Inn Hattiesburg - North

  • Residence Inn Hattiesburg

Call for Board Members

Would you like to be more involved in the Mississippi Museum Field? The Mississippi Museums Association is seeking nominations for the Board of Directors! The 2025-2027 positions are listed below. If you are interested or have any questions, contact Kathleen Barnett, kbarnett@msmuseumart.org, by September 2, 2025.

  • President (Officer)

  • Vice President (Officer)

  • Northwest Regional Representative

  • East Central Regional Representative

  • Pine Belt/Southeast Regional Representative

Any Member of the MMA in good standing is eligible to serve.

Vendor & Sponsorship Opportunities

Become an Exhibitor

Showcase your organization to museum professionals and history enthusiasts at the Mississippi Museums Association 2025 Conference. Registration is $50 and includes one table and two chairs. Deadline to register is August 28, 2025.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Would you like to sponsor one of the conference events? Reach out to Latoya Norman, lnorman@hattiesburg.org, for more information!

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