Professional Development
Smithsonian Affiliations offers various professional development opportunities—from large conferences to tailored visiting professionals’ programs, and virtual learning series to on-site workshops as a benefit to all current Affiliates.
These opportunities for professional collaboration and skill building are driven by our strategic priorities—to promote learning and innovation, share best practices for museum professionals, and to adapt to the evolving needs of the museum and cultural landscape.
We serve our audience with relevant learning opportunities and ways to continue building professional networks through a multi-pronged strategy that:
- serves all career levels of our Affiliate and Smithsonian colleagues,
- offers shorter, virtual opportunities throughout the year,
- and comes together for one specific, intentional learning exchange.
What we offer
AFFILIATE SUMMITS
From 1996- 2019, Smithsonian Affiliations hosted a large conference in Washington, D.C. In 2020 we pivoted to hosting virtual conferences, which allowed us to reach a broader range of Affiliate and Smithsonian staff. However, we recognized the value of coming together and in 2024 rebranded our in-person offering as Affiliate Summits. These summits occur every-other-year and focusing on a specific role within an organization (e.g. directors, exhibition developers, etc.) or topic area (e.g. Life on a Sustainable Planet or serving rural communities). These convenings allow us to dive into big issues facing the world today and grapple with ways in which the museum and culture field can support our audiences in understanding and exploring these ideas.
VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS
Virtual Office Hours provide a platform for discussing specific Smithsonian initiatives. Affiliate and Smithsonian colleagues join these virtual discussions to learn more about a particular opportunity, share perspectives, and ask questions of each other.
VIRTUAL CONFERENCES
Our Virtual Conferences serve a broad range of Affiliate and Smithsonian staff. These are comprised of regular sessions—some of which are co-produced with other Smithsonian units— and dive into a variety of topics and content that are relevant to our collaborators. They offer opportunities to discuss and reflect on the issues, challenges, and opportunities facing our field. The Virtual Conference is open to all Smithsonian Affiliates and Smithsonian employees. Learn more about virtual conferences.
Examples from past conferences:
VIRTUAL LEARNING HUB
Smithsonian Affiliations has developed a suite of asynchronous learning assets, called Learning Excursions on the Learning Hub. These online resources highlight the work of Affiliates and provide practical, ready-to-use templates, checklists, and worksheets to help other Affiliates develop their own strategies for engaging with their communities—and with the Smithsonian. Visit the Learning Hub.
