The Museum Association of New York

The Museum Association of New York Inspiring, connecting, and strengthening New York’s museum community.

The Museum Association of New York (MANY) serves over 1,400 museums across New York State’s Regional Economic Development Council’s ten regions including museum studies professors and students, library partners, and museum industry partners. MANY as it exists today is the result of a merger between the Upstate History Alliance and MANY that took place between 2012 and 2014. The merger successfully

created MANY, the only statewide museum service organization with 700 member museums, historical societies, zoos, botanical gardens, and aquariums. MANY helps shape a better future for museums and museum professionals by uplifting best practices and building organizational capacity through advocacy, training, and networking opportunities.

👗 🇺🇸 Attention Long Island MANY Members! 👗 🇺🇸Looking for fun networking, reconnecting with your museum friends, and meet...
05/27/2026

👗 🇺🇸 Attention Long Island MANY Members! 👗 🇺🇸
Looking for fun networking, reconnecting with your museum friends, and meeting the MANY Executive Director Sarah Van Anden? Join us at the Long Island Museum for our next Meet Up this Monday, June 1 at 3:00 PM. Galleries will be open, and everyone will be able to see new exhibitions 'Long Island in the ‘70s' and 'The Seat of Action: Long Island in the American Revolution and After.'
This MANY Meet Up is co-hosted by The Museum at Bethel Woods and The Long Island Museum. Light refreshments will be available. Pre-registration is encouraged. Follow link in bio to sign up!

05/20/2026

Still thinking about ! What’s one word you’d use to describe the conference? 🤩

🎥:

05/14/2026

We were delighted to have from this year at the 2026 MANY conference!

🎥:

05/11/2026

That’s a wrap! Thank you to everyone who attended Museums Make NY: The State of Culture in Albany, NY, the Museum Association of New York’s (MANY) annual conference. We’ll see you next year! 🏛️

🎥 Video: Social Media for Museums

Join colleagues from across New York State for an informal afternoon at Albany Institute of History & Art on Thursday, M...
05/03/2026

Join colleagues from across New York State for an informal afternoon at Albany Institute of History & Art on Thursday, May 7th from 2–5 PM.

Light refreshments, beer, and wine will be served. Enter a raffle for a chance to win an Albany Institute tote bag filled with exhibition catalogues, notecards, and more AIHA swag.

Conference attendees receive free admission Thursday, May 7 through Sunday, May 10, plus 20% off in the Museum Shop—just show your MANY badge to redeem.

Founded in 1791, the Albany Institute is New York’s oldest museum. Its collections document the Hudson Valley as a crossroads of culture, influencing the art and history of the region, the state, and the nation.

MANY is grateful to the Institute and their staff for their collaboration and for opening their doors to our statewide community. It is truly a highlight you won't want to miss on your first day in Albany!


Founded in 1791, the Albany Institute is New York’s oldest museum. Its collections document the Hudson Valley as a cross...
05/03/2026

Founded in 1791, the Albany Institute is New York’s oldest museum. Its collections document the Hudson Valley as a crossroads of culture, influencing the art and history of the region, the state, and the nation.

During Museums Make NY, join colleagues from across the state for an informal afternoon at the on Thursday, May 7th, from 2–5 PM.

Light refreshments, beer, and wine will be served. Enter a raffle for a chance to win an Albany Institute tote bag filled with exhibition catalogues, notecards, and more AIHA swag.

Conference attendees receive free admission Thursday, May 7, through Sunday, May 10, plus 20% off in the Museum Shop—just show your MANY badge to redeem.

MANY is grateful to the Institute and their staff for their collaboration and for opening their doors to our statewide community. It's a highlight of the conference and a memorable way to spend your first afternoon in Albany.


In less than a week, MANY's 2026 conference brings museum leaders, cultural organizations, and public agencies together ...
05/01/2026

In less than a week, MANY's 2026 conference brings museum leaders, cultural organizations, and public agencies together to engage the conditions shaping our work right now—policy, funding, governance, and the broader systems our institutions operate within.

Plenary sessions include:

"From Fragmentation to Coordination: Rethinking Cultural Governance Across Contexts"
Gonzalo Casals and Mauricio Delfin —

A conversation on how policy and decision-making shape the field—and how greater coordination can strengthen long-term impact.

"HueArts & Cultures: The Cultural and Economic Impact of Museums of Color in New York"
Stephanie Johnson-Cunningham —
Maritza Carmona — BRIC Arts Media
Joe Harrell — The WNET Group
Jennifer Scott — Urban Civil Rights Museum in Harlem

Grounded in new research, this session examines the essential role museums of color play in shaping a more representative and equitable cultural landscape.

"Stewardship Under Pressure: Nonprofit Governance and Protections in New York State"
James Sheehan — , Charities Bureau

A look at governance, accountability, and the responsibilities museums carry within New York's legal framework.

"The Visitor Effect: New York State Museums & Tourism"
Alison Hinman —
Ross D. Levi — Empire State Development / NYS Division of Tourism
Hillarie Logan-Dechene —
Jennifer Saunders —

Connecting museum practice to tourism, regional identity, and statewide economic development.

Alongside these conversations, policy leaders and representatives from state and federal government will engage directly with attendees on funding priorities and the future of the field.


The Capital's museums and cultural organizations generously welcome their MANY peers to visit during their stay in the r...
05/01/2026

The Capital's museums and cultural organizations generously welcome their MANY peers to visit during their stay in the region.

Check our website for a Google map of these locations, and to learn more about them and our annual conference.







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Hadley Exhibits has been designing, managing, and fabricating exhibits for over a century, bringing knowledge beyond the...
04/28/2026

Hadley Exhibits has been designing, managing, and fabricating exhibits for over a century, bringing knowledge beyond their years to every project. Based in Buffalo, NY, Hadley is a pillar of the New York museum community.

MANY is grateful to Hadley Exhibits for their support, from the 2026 Annual Conference and beyond.

Please stop by their table at our exhibitors hall to learn more about their wide range of services.

Visit their website at hadleyexhibits.com


New Yorkers have always found ways to gather! Our colleagues at The Museum at Bethel Woods (Bethel Woods Center for the ...
04/27/2026

New Yorkers have always found ways to gather! Our colleagues at The Museum at Bethel Woods (Bethel Woods Center for the Arts), located at the Woodstock festival historic site, know this better than anyone.

Their mission is to steward the Woodstock historic site and interpret the social, political, and pop cultural history of the 1960s.

As Advocate Members of MANY, they have stepped up to support the capacity of others to gather and advance our field.

All MANY membership dues go directly towards supporting gatherings like our annual conference.

Learn more about the Museum at Bethel Woods at www.bethelwoodscenter.org/museum

Woodstock 1969 Photograph (c) Henry Diltz


Following the first day of the conference, MANY invites all to join for a ticketed reception. Set on the 42nd floor of t...
04/22/2026

Following the first day of the conference, MANY invites all to join for a ticketed reception. Set on the 42nd floor of the Corning Tower on the Empire State Plaza—the tallest building in New York State outside of New York City—the evening offers sweeping views of Albany, the Hudson River, and the Capital Region.

Museum leaders, supporters, and public partners gather to mark the opening of the conference in an iconic civic setting. It is an opportunity to connect across sectors, recognize those who sustain and strengthen the field, and situate museums within the broader public life of New York State.

Conference attendees, partners, and supporters are warmly invited to join. Full bar and passed hors d'oeuvres will be served.

Capacity is limited; a $75 ticket is required for all.

Purchase your ticket at www.nysmuseums.org/annualconference


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Troy, NY
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Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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