The recent past has seen unprecedented challenges, disruptions, and changes in the world-at-large and for our field. Museums have had to stay nimble and embrace flexibility to adapt to ever-changing situations.
So, what comes next?
When we reflect on how museums responded in the past few years, how can we reconcile our learned experiences and apply them to future unknown disruptions? What role do museums have as places of healing? How has the past two years changed your institution? Your outreach? Your internal systems? How do we move forward with equity in our organizations? What are museums’ roles in our communities?
OMA 2022 is packed full of great opportunities, professional development, engaging speakers, tours, awards, networking and more! Attendees at OMA 2022 will enjoy the great conference staples you've come to expect from the Ohio Museums Association, including:
BACK FOR 2022! Morning Leadership Workshop: Join Jheri Neri of the Native American Coalition of Greater Cincinnati for the Monday, April 4 workshop, "Decolonizing Curated Spaces"
The 2022 Keynote Address by Rebecca Brown Asmo, Executive Director of Ohio Humanities
BACK FOR 2022! Saturday Conference Tours - There's more to explore at OMA 2022! Join OMA on Saturday, April 2 as we visit five amazing Cincinnati museums - the Cincinnati Skirball Museum, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, the Taft Museum of Art, the Weston Art Gallery, and the American Sign Museum!
Our Sunday progressive museum tour - Enjoy an evening of exploring two iconic Cincinnati museums: Cincinnati Museum Center and Cincinnati Art Museum!
The Annual Awards dinner at the beautiful Cincinnati Art Museum
OMA is proud to once again offer Student Scholarships to attend the 2022 Annual Conference! Scholarship includes complete Sunday and Monday registration, plus one overnight accomodation.
NEW FOR 2022! The OMA 50/50 raffle
A perennial favorite - The Ohio EMP Gathering! Join the leadership of Ohio's EMP Chapters welcomes EMPs from across the state, as well as museum pros looking to learn more about these groups. Enjoy networking and cocktails at this all-Ohio EMP event!
BACK FOR 2022! Sunday Afternoon Workshop -start your conference Sunday with a workshop from the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, "Open Your Mind: Understanding Implicit Bias"
The OMA Exhibit Hall featuring regional museum service providers
Networking with museum professionals from across the state
Fifteen additional professional development sessions and morning roundtable session ranging in topics from across the museum discipline
See the full line-up of conference programming on the Program page.
Visit the Registration page for complete details and to register for OMA 2022!
With your safety in mind - #OMA2022 Health Protocols
OMA is excited to welcome you to Cincinnati for our first in-person event since 2019. As eager as we are to put COVID in our rearview, we know we aren’t there just yet.
With your safety and the safety of your home communities in mind, we are implementing new protocols for 2022. As of January 1, 2022, all conference registrants must show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or provide a negative test (taken no earlier than 72 hours prior to arriving onsite). Masks will also be required for indoor conference events.
We know that the nature of pandemic-related public health measures are changing rapidly, and OMA will continue to evaluate and update these protocols to be in-line with recommended standards as we get closer to the event.
2021 OMA Awards Join us for the Annual OMA Awards Dinner April 3, 2022, in conjunction with the 2022 Conference in Cincinnati. The Ohio Museums Association Annual Awards Program will honor outstanding achievement in both individuals and institutions with the Awards of Achievement.
The awards dinner will also feature the winners of the Visual Communication competition that recognizes creative excellence by Ohio museums and its field professionals. The awards dinner will take place at the beautiful Cincinnati Art Museum. Tickets to this event are included in Full Conference Registrations, or may be purchased separately. See the Registration page for complete details.
Saturday Conference Tours - Saturday, April 2 Coming to Cincinnati a little early for OMA 2022? Not able to make it to the full OMA conference but still want a great OMA 2022 experience? See more of the Queen City and join us Saturday, April 2 for a full day of exploration and fun at five amazing Cincinnati museums!
The day will start at OMA 2022 Conference Headquarters, the Graduate Cincinnati and will include visits to the Cincinnati Skirball Museum, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, the Taft Museum of Art, the Weston Art Gallery, and will conclude with a closing reception at the American Sign Museum.
Sunday Conference Workshop - Open Your Mind: Understanding Implicit Bias
Change the way you think about the way you think—and learn why having implicit bias is nothing to feel bad about. The goal of this implicit bias experience is to open people up to new ideas, new perspectives and new experiences. Presented by Ryan Wynett, Manager of Implicit Bias Experiences at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, this workshop aims to change the way people think about the brain, about discrimination and, hopefully, about themselves.
Using real-world examples and practical demonstrations of implicit bias, in addition to various interactive, “hands-on” activities like riddles, illusions and brainteasers, this workshop will help visitors appreciate both the power—and limits—of the human mind. Speaker: Ryan Wynett, Manager of Implicit Bias Experiences, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Registration for this event is additional and separate from Full and Monday-Only registration. For complete details, see the Pre-Conference Workshop Registration page.
OMA Raffle
Get your raffle tickets for OMA’s first 50/50 raffle! Support Ohio’s museums and the work OMA does on behalf of Ohio’s museum community—and enter to win a cash prize in the process! Tickets are available at the registration desk and with Raffle team members throughout the conference.
Back for 2022! Student Scholarships The Ohio Museums Association is committed to connecting and empowering museum professionals at all stages of their career -- including our student and emerging museum professionals!
OMA is very proud to once again offer those students who are seeking careers in the museum field Full Conference Registration Student Scholarships for OMA 2022 in Cincinnati. Scholarships include Sunday and Monday conference activities and registration, along with a 2022 Student Membership to the Ohio Museums Association. Thanks to a generous sponsor, all scholarships for 2022 also include a sleeping room for Sunday (April 3) at Graduate Cincinnati. (Saturday pre-conference tours, transportation expenses to Cincinnati not included in the scholarship).