About Our Program

The Association of Midwest Museums and Association of Indiana Museums (AIM) welcome our members and colleagues to join us in Indianapolis, Indiana, for an interdisciplinary conference developed for museum professionals at any stage of their career.

This year’s conference program will have two parts—one day of all-virtual programming on Wednesday, July 19th, as well as a safe, welcoming in-person experience on July 26-29. Virtual and in-person programs will feature opportunities for peer-to-peer exchange and to see Indianapolis museums.

About the Theme

The Indianapolis 500 auto race isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon. Navigation of the 2.5-mile oval track may seem fairly straightforward, but drivers face enormous pressure as they attempt to safely maneuver 800 turns at over 200 mph, adapting to variable external conditions. Safety and success requires trust among the team members as well as finely tuned skills and intuition during all parts of the race, but significantly during the turns.

This year, let’s focus on the careful thinking and deliberate action required in the turns.

Each turn in the Indy 500 is an experiment. The margin for error in turns is very small, and the team’s sense of urgency is countered by the need to keep the car steady and the driver safe. The goal is to find the perfect line around the curve and the perfect Braking Point. This is the moment when the driver slows their speed, braking just enough to maintain stability without losing forward momentum. Drivers and teams learn from every turn, adapting to constantly changing external and internal pressures on their cars throughout the race.

As Midwestern museums race toward necessary change—internally and externally—we wonder how they are navigating the turns. Where are their “braking points”?

We invite our members and colleagues across the Midwest to share stories and lessons learned from the twists and turns of their journeys during presentations at the conference.

• What variables have disrupted your museum’s balance, and how are you shifting gears? 
• Whose voices are needed at the table, and how are you slowing down to engage them? 
• In what ways are leaders prioritizing the needs and wellbeing of staff or team members, while maintaining forward momentum?

Share with us lessons learned from your Braking Points, the crashes and flying wheels, the unnerving or exhilarating moments in the turns, and the victories celebrated along the way.

Call for Session Proposals

The 2023 Call for Proposals is now open! We are seeking your ideas for breakout sessions (virtual and in-person), in-depth workshops, posters and conversation stations. Submit proposals online by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, January 6, 2023.

Program and Session Information

Our team is actively developing the conference program plans. We look forward to sharing our plans with you in early 2023. If you are an Indianapolis museum or cultural organization and wish to participate in planning or as a host, please contact us today.