Oregon Museums Association upcoming events

Meet Up - Salem! (19 Aug 2026)

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:30:00 GMT

Join us at Deepwood Museum & Gardens for a free OMA meet up on Wednesday, August 19th at 5:30 p.m. Explore this Victorian historic home, designed in the Queen Anne style and located just minutes from downtown Salem. Connect with fellow museum professionals and enthusiasts over refreshments and conversation while enjoying exhibits showcasing meticulously furnished interiors from the late 1800s through 1930. With its formal gardens, nature trails, greenhouse, and original carriage house, Deepwood is truly a site worth experiencing.

The Gardens will be open for this meet up! The site is ADA accessible (though there are stairs to get into the house), and there is ample parking.

Host: Melanie Jones, Executive Director of Deepwood Museum & Gardens
Cost: Free

From Limbo to Legal Title: Understanding and Advocating for Oregon’s Proposed Museum Property Law (20 Aug 2026)

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 18:00:00 GMT

What happens when a museum has cared for an object for decades—but cannot establish legal ownership?

Museums and historical societies across Oregon regularly encounter collection objects without deeds of gift or adequate documentation, unsolicited materials left at their doors, and long-term loans whose owners can no longer be reached. Oregon law provides a process for resolving these situations, but the current requirements can involve significant time, expense, and paperwork. As a result, many objects remain in legal limbo, making it difficult for museums to manage their collections responsibly.

Join us for this FREE webinar to learn about a museum-led effort to modernize Oregon’s museum property law. Presenters will introduce a plain-language proposal developed after researching laws in other states, explain how the proposed changes could benefit museums and donors, and answer questions from participants.

You’ll also learn how to provide feedback on the proposal and advocate for legislation that supports responsible collections stewardship across Oregon.

Presenter Bios:

Karen Edgerton Bio:

Karen Edgerton is the former collections manager at Arlington Historical Society in Virginia and a recent transplant to Oregon. While attempting to establish legal title for undocumented artifacts, she realized that well-intentioned but cumbersome abandoned property laws were causing many museums to forgo establishing title entirely. She decided to use her time to tackle the root cause of the issue and is now working to help create a law that is effective for museums, donors, and communities in Oregon.

Heather Christenbury Bio:

Heather is President of the Oregon Museums Association and Executive Director and Curator of the Coos History Museum. She holds an M.A. in Museum Studies and has spent much of her career in collections management. Her experience spans university, history, art, and science museums—from small community organizations to large institutions—in multiple states and countries, giving her a broad, practical perspective on collections stewardship and the legal challenges museums face.

Meet Up - Pendleton! (27 Aug 2026)

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 23:30:00 GMT

Join us at the Umatilla County Historical Society Museum Heritage Station for a free OMA meet up on Thursday, August 27th at 4:30 pm!

Located in Historic Downtown Pendleton, Heritage Station is housed in the 1909 train depot. Explore two galleries and outdoor exhibits which include a schoolhouse, log cabin, signal house, a caboose, and barn. Connect with other museum professionals from around the region over refreshments.

Host: Shannon Gruenhagen, Executive Director of Umatilla County Historical Society Heritage Station Museum

Cost: Free

Directors & Senior Staff Affinity Group (01 Sep 2026)

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Join fellow executive directors and senior staff for an informal affinity group focused on leading humans in 2026. Explore people-centered leadership, workplace culture, and real personnel challenges. Bring questions, wins, and tough moments to discuss with peers. Whether you lead one person or one hundred, this group offers connection, problem-solving, and shared support.

Host: Lydia Heins, Executive Director of the Coos Art Museum and OMA Board Member

Cost: Free

Digitization Workflows & File Management for Museums and Archives (16 Sep 2026)

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Digitization projects can quickly become overwhelming without clear workflows, consistent standards, and sustainable file management practices. Whether you're working with photographs, documents, audiovisual materials, oral histories, or mixed-media collections, thoughtful planning is essential for preserving and providing access to your community's history.

In this session, archivists and photographers Rachel and Morgan Hagar of The Family Archivists will guide participants through the full lifecycle of a digitization project, from collection assessment and project planning to digitization standards, metadata, file naming conventions, storage, backup strategies, and long-term digital preservation.

Designed for museum professionals, historical societies, libraries, community archives, and volunteer-led organizations, this workshop emphasizes practical, scalable approaches that can be implemented regardless of budget or staffing levels. Participants will learn how to create repeatable workflows, avoid common pitfalls, manage digital collections more effectively, and balance preservation needs with access goals.

The session will also explore ethical considerations surrounding community archives, stewardship, accessibility, and emerging technologies such as AI-assisted metadata and transcription.

Participants will leave with:

Strategies for planning successful digitization projects
Practical workflow models and documentation practices
Recommendations for file naming, organization, and metadata
Best practices for storage, backup, and digital preservation
Tools for improving access while maintaining long-term stewardship

Whether you are just beginning a digitization project or looking to improve existing workflows, this session will provide actionable guidance for preserving and sharing the stories entrusted to your care.

Morgan Hagar is a co-owner of The Family Archivists and a professional photographer and retoucher with more than 20 years of experience working with photographic collections. Holding a degree in Photography from the Brooks Institute, Morgan began his career in the era of film and darkroom printing, giving him extensive expertise in both analog and digital preservation.

He specializes in digitization workflows, photographic preservation, media conversion, and helping families and organizations safeguard their visual histories. Through his work, Morgan combines technical expertise with a deep appreciation for the stories that photographs and archival materials carry across generations.

Rachel Hagar, is a co-owner of The Family Archivists and an archivist dedicated to helping individuals, families, and organizations preserve and share their histories. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Photography from the Brooks Institute and a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) from San José State University, where she focused on archives, records management, and digital preservation.

Rachel specializes in archival organization, collection management, digitization planning, and family and community history projects. Drawing on both her photographic background and archival training, she helps clients navigate complex collections of photographs, documents, audiovisual materials, and memorabilia while ensuring that context, stories, and relationships between materials are preserved. Through her work, Rachel is passionate about making archives accessible, meaningful, and sustainable, empowering people to connect with their histories and preserve them for future generations.

The Family Archivists is a preservation and archival services company dedicated to helping individuals, families, museums, and community organizations safeguard their histories for future generations. Founded by Rachel and Morgan Hagar, The Family Archivists specializes in archival organization, digitization, photographic preservation, media conversion, family history projects, and legacy storytelling.

Combining expertise in photography, archives, and digital preservation, The Family Archivists works with collections ranging from family photographs and personal papers to audiovisual materials, oral histories, and community archives. Their approach emphasizes both preservation and accessibility, ensuring that historical materials remain protected while also being organized, discoverable, and meaningful to those who use them.

Through personalized consulting, hands-on archival services, digitization workflows, and educational programming, The Family Archivists helps clients transform overwhelming collections into well-preserved archives that can be shared, enjoyed, and passed down for generations. Their work is guided by the belief that preserving history is not simply about saving objects—it is about preserving the stories, relationships, and experiences that give those objects meaning.

Collections Affinity Group (24 Sep 2026)

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Managing a museum collection is a rewarding challenge, but it can also be daunting, overwhelming, and exhausting! So why not put our heads together and collaborate? The OMA “Collections Affinity Group” is an opportunity for collections managers, curators, registrars, and people specializing in similar positions to come together and share our triumphs, challenges, and most importantly, learn from one another!

Host: Rebekah Averette, Collections Manager of Deschutes County Museum

Cost: Free

Programming Affinity Group (02 Oct 2026)

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Programming is a critical part of community and connection in museum work. From pre-K and lower elementary to lifelong learners and senior communities, there are countless opportunities for your programs team to share all that your institution has to offer. Let's share ideas, resources, and connections!

Host: Julia Triezenberg, Education Supervisor at the Columbia River Maritime Museum

Cost: Free

Board Governance Affinity Group (08 Oct 2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Welcome to a supportive space for museum board members, trustees, and advisory council members! Board service can be a solo journey, and this is a rare chance to connect with peers from other organizations. Join us to dive into the unique challenges of museum governance, share insights on strategic oversight, discuss effective fundraising, and fiduciary duties. Together we can trade best practices, problem-solve, and build a vital network of shared support for confident leadership.

Host: Nicia Ahrenholtz, Co-President of Adventure! Children's Museum
Cost: Free

Project Management Affinity Group (19 Oct 2026)

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Museum work is full of projects — from exhibitions and public events to community programs and cross-department collaborations — and managing them well makes all the difference. This affinity group brings together museum professionals who plan, coordinate, and deliver projects of all sizes, whether that’s part of your job or something you’ve been asked to take on along the way. We’ll share real-world tools, workflows, and lessons learned. The goal is to create a supportive space where we can problem solve together, build confidence, and strengthen project leadership skills.

Host: Tara Cole, Administrative Manager Oregon Historical Society

Cost: Free

Programming Affinity Group (04 Dec 2026)

Fri, 04 Dec 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Host: Julia Triezenberg, Education Supervisor at the Columbia River Maritime Museum

Cost: Free