General Conferences
ICOM’s General Conference is a worldwide reputed hub for exchange about the topical issues museums tackle today and the most innovative solutions.
Since 1948, every three years, ICOM gathers the international museum community around a theme of crucial interest to facilitate cultural exchange, to promote international cooperation, and to inspire local actions in order to allow museums to continue their public service mission to the society.
More than 3.000 participants from all international backgrounds come together to attend debates, round tables, panels, networking events and cultural activities.
In parallel, an International Museum Fair, where suppliers and museums showcase their latest projects and products, takes place in the whole week.
The three key moments of the ICOM’s General Conference are:
- Inspiring speeches by world-renowned professionals on multidisciplinary subjects concerning the international museum community;
- Scientific discussions on the conference theme among ICOM’s International Committees;
- Administrative sessions to summarise and evaluate the actions conducted over the past three-year period and to initiate the new working term.
ICOM Prague 2022: The Power of Museums
Prague, capital of the Czech Republic and a magnificent open-air museum, will welcome the 26th ICOM General Conference in the week of 20–28 August 2022. Museum professionals from around the world will put forward the topics and set the direction of the museum sector for the next three years at least.
We will be interested in the strength, position and capacity of museums in building a free, democratic and educated society, reactions of museums to the challenges and needs of the 21st century; and the ability to cope with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, both societal and economic. The results of the search for a new definition of “museum” will be presented at ICOM Prague 2022.
Let’s be there together!