Join us at Deepwood Museum & Gardens for a free OMA meetup on Wednesday, February 18 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.

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

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

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

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

Join ERCO for a free-flowing, hands-on workshop exporting how modern lighting technology and conservation come together in museums and galleries. Test tools, share challenges, and discuss real-world solutions - from glare and flexibility to preservation and visitor engagement. An open, collaborative session designed to spark ideas and deliver practical takeaways, regardless of institution size.

Speaker: Daniel Rory Harvey, ERCO

Location: Chemeketa Classroom - 120 E Lincoln St, Woodburn, OR 97071

Time: 8:30 - 11:30 AM

Capacity: 76

This 3-hour workshop offers a practical framework for small and mid-sized museums to build fundraising capacity that is realistic and mission-driven. Designed for organizations with limited staff and resources, the session explores how fundraising and organizational development must grow together in order to be sustainable.

Participants will examine the distinct purposes and requirements of annual fundraising and capital campaigns. Through real-world examples, including a case study from Columbia Play Project, an emerging children’s museum, the workshop will highlight strategies that help museums move beyond short-term survival toward long-term financial stability and community support.

This interactive session will include guided discussion, practical exercises, take-home resources, and time for reflection and Q+A. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to right-size fundraising efforts, align board and staff roles, and build internal systems that support current operations and future vision.

Speaker: Catherine Diaz, Columbia Play Project, and Patrick Sampson, Cogeo

Location: Chemeketa Classroom (120 E Lincoln St, Woodburn, OR 97071)

Time: 1 - 4 PM

Capacity: 76

With access and inclusion under attack, organizations need to get creative on how to continue DEAI (diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion) work with less or no funding. Focusing on free or nearly free options that can be rolled out within a few months, this session is designed to be collaborative.

Participants should bring a computer or phone with access to the internet.

Speaker: Katy Menne, Learner Centered Strategies

Location: Bungalow Theater - 455 N Front St, Woodburn, OR 97071

Time: 1 - 4 PM

Capacity: 40

This meet-up will be focused on the impact and power of outreach and community partnerships. It’s for nonprofit leaders, staff, volunteers, community advocates, and business professionals. We can discuss the art of relationship building and talk about common obstacles and strategies for working through them like building trust, recognizing cultural sensitivity, and resource needs. I hope to collaborate on best practices and learn from each other during this time together.

Host: Val Van Alstyne, Executive Director at Albany Regional Museum and OMA Board Member
Cost: Free

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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