ABOUT THE CONFERENCE Join us for the 2025 MALHM Annual Conference & Meeting in White Bear Lake, MN! Connect with colleagues from across the region at Minnesota's largest event for local history people. Explore products and services for your organization, dive into local history through evening socials, and hone your skills in a variety of workshop sessions. PRECONFERENCE EVENT- To Be Announced LODGING Best Western Plus White Bear Lake Country Inn 4940 US-61, White Bear Lake, MN 55110 80 rooms available at $110/night Includes: complimentary hot breakfast, on-site restaurant, free parking, & pool Check-In: 3pm / Check-Out: 11am Reserve online or by calling 651-429-5393 (mention MN Alliance of Local History) Reservation block closes on March 22, 2025. NOTE: After clicking the link, the reservation page will automatically populate the booking dates as April 22-24, 2025. Click the "edit" button at the top right to adjust your dates or number of guests/rooms. Alternative Hotels- There are multiple other hotels in the area that conference attendees are welcome to book if they wish. Please note that official conference transportation will only be running from the Best Western WBL Country Inn. EVENING MIXERS- To Be Announced "I think this is a 'MUST' go to for Historical Societies. We are surrounded with like minded people, who feel History matters! We gain knowledge from each other, brainstorming and taking that knowledge back to our organizations. The conference brings excitement back into our jobs again!!!" -2022 Conference Attendee |
2025 ANNUAL CONFERENCE & MEETING
TUESDAY, APRIL 22 - THURSDAY, APRIL 24 White Bear Lake Armory & Kellerman's Event Center 2228 4th St, White Bear Lake, MN 55110 MN History Award nominations due January 15, 2025
2025 Registration Rates
Due to the rising costs of producing events like the annual conference, our registration rates have increased slightly for 2025. The MALHM Board carefully considered similar events and past conference costs when setting the new rates. MALHM is committed to keeping the annual conference as accessible as possible for Minnesota history organizations and their staff & volunteers. Full Conference (Wednesday & Thursday) MALHM Members, Early Bird- $160 MALHM Members, Full Rate- $175 Nonmember, Early Bird- $190 Nonmember, Full Rate- $205 One Day (Wednesday OR Thursday) MALHM Members, Early Bird- $110 MALHM Members, Full Rate- $120 Nonmember, Early Bird- $130 Nonmember, Full Rate- $140 Students Early Bird- $80 Full Rate- $90 What's Included Full Conference:
Additions Pre-Conference Day- Participate in the pre-conference event Tuesday, April 22! Event typically includes local tours, talks, and Tuesday evening mixer. More details coming soon. Evening Mixer Guest- A guest pass for one or both evening mixers (Tuesday and/or Wednesday), no other meals or activities included Lunch Guest)- A guest pass for lunch(es), no other meals or activities included Guest Meal Pass- A guest meal pass for all breakfasts, lunches, breaks, and mixers, conference sessions and other activities not included |
2024 SCHEDULE AND PROGRAM
Limited past session recordings available here.
Limited past session recordings available here.
PRECONFERENCE EVENT
Option 1: Public History Through Built Structures
9:30-10:00am Registration & Check-In at Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps, 1205 93rd Ave W, Duluth
10:00-11:00am Session 1: Northern Bedrock Case Study: Reconsidering Cultural Heritage Work Through a
Dis/ability Lens with Laura Leppink
11:00am-12:00pm Session 2: Northern Bedrock's National Register Nomination Journey with Rachel Peterson
12:00-1:30pm Lunch Break
1:30-2:30pm Building Tour and Phase 1 Walk Through
2:30-3:30pm Session 3: The Wonders of Preventative Maintenance with Mark Johnston
Option 2: Tourist for the Day in Superior, WI
9:30-10:00am Registration & Check-In at Richard I. Bong Historical Center, 305 E 2nd St, Superior, WI
10:00-10:45am Welcome & Behind-the-Scenes Tour
11:00am-12:00pm Tour Superior Public Library murals with Teddie Meronek or Fairlawn Mansion
12:00-1:00pm Lunch Break
1:00-2:00pm Tour Superior Public Library murals with Teddie Meronek or Fairlawn Mansion
2:15-3:30pm Roundtable Discussion: Partners in Tourism at the Bong Center
For Both
4:00-5:00pm Happy Hour at The Rathskeller
4:00-7:00pm Dinner on Your Own
7:00-9:00pm Evening Mixer: Glensheen Mansion
Option 1: Public History Through Built Structures
9:30-10:00am Registration & Check-In at Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps, 1205 93rd Ave W, Duluth
10:00-11:00am Session 1: Northern Bedrock Case Study: Reconsidering Cultural Heritage Work Through a
Dis/ability Lens with Laura Leppink
11:00am-12:00pm Session 2: Northern Bedrock's National Register Nomination Journey with Rachel Peterson
12:00-1:30pm Lunch Break
1:30-2:30pm Building Tour and Phase 1 Walk Through
2:30-3:30pm Session 3: The Wonders of Preventative Maintenance with Mark Johnston
Option 2: Tourist for the Day in Superior, WI
9:30-10:00am Registration & Check-In at Richard I. Bong Historical Center, 305 E 2nd St, Superior, WI
10:00-10:45am Welcome & Behind-the-Scenes Tour
11:00am-12:00pm Tour Superior Public Library murals with Teddie Meronek or Fairlawn Mansion
12:00-1:00pm Lunch Break
1:00-2:00pm Tour Superior Public Library murals with Teddie Meronek or Fairlawn Mansion
2:15-3:30pm Roundtable Discussion: Partners in Tourism at the Bong Center
For Both
4:00-5:00pm Happy Hour at The Rathskeller
4:00-7:00pm Dinner on Your Own
7:00-9:00pm Evening Mixer: Glensheen Mansion
8:00-9:00am Registration, Breakfast, Vendor Hall, Resource Swap Open
9:00am Welcoming Remarks
9:20-10:20am Breakout Sessions #1
Wet Salvage Training Demonstration
Creating a Black Heritage Trail
10 Actionable Design Tips for Communications
10:20-10:40am Morning Break
10:40-11:40am Breakout Sessions #2
Managing Indefinite Loans: Two Case Studies – Stewardship Loans and Resolving Loans with the 2004 Minnesota Museum Property Act
Making History Weird with Minnesota Historia
Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace
11:40am-1:00pm Lunch, Vendor Hall, Networking
12:30-1:00pm Lightning Talks & Meet-Ups
1:00pm 2024 Annual Meeting & Volunteer Recognition
1:40-2:40pm Breakout Sessions #3
Cleaning Your Artifacts
Strengthening Statewide Collaboration in Community Engaged Work
Marketing Meets Retail: How to Grow Your Gift Shop
Keys to the Kingdom: How to Handle Organizational Transitions
2:40-3:00pm Afternoon Break
3:00-4:00pm Breakout Sessions #4
Amplifying Indigenous Voices: A Case Study from the Hahá Wakpádan (Bassett Creek) Oral History Project
The G(r)OAT: Using Primary Resources in the Creative Writing Classroom
We Heart Canva: How Three Museums Use the Free, Intuitive Online Graphic Design Tool (and how you can, too!)
4:00-7:00pm Dinner & Drinks on Your Own
7:00-9:00pm Evening Mixer: Lake Superior Railroad Museum
9:00am Welcoming Remarks
9:20-10:20am Breakout Sessions #1
Wet Salvage Training Demonstration
Creating a Black Heritage Trail
10 Actionable Design Tips for Communications
10:20-10:40am Morning Break
10:40-11:40am Breakout Sessions #2
Managing Indefinite Loans: Two Case Studies – Stewardship Loans and Resolving Loans with the 2004 Minnesota Museum Property Act
Making History Weird with Minnesota Historia
Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace
11:40am-1:00pm Lunch, Vendor Hall, Networking
12:30-1:00pm Lightning Talks & Meet-Ups
1:00pm 2024 Annual Meeting & Volunteer Recognition
1:40-2:40pm Breakout Sessions #3
Cleaning Your Artifacts
Strengthening Statewide Collaboration in Community Engaged Work
Marketing Meets Retail: How to Grow Your Gift Shop
Keys to the Kingdom: How to Handle Organizational Transitions
2:40-3:00pm Afternoon Break
3:00-4:00pm Breakout Sessions #4
Amplifying Indigenous Voices: A Case Study from the Hahá Wakpádan (Bassett Creek) Oral History Project
The G(r)OAT: Using Primary Resources in the Creative Writing Classroom
We Heart Canva: How Three Museums Use the Free, Intuitive Online Graphic Design Tool (and how you can, too!)
4:00-7:00pm Dinner & Drinks on Your Own
7:00-9:00pm Evening Mixer: Lake Superior Railroad Museum
8:00-9:00am Registration, Breakfast, Vendor Hall, Resource Swap Open
9:00am Morning Remarks
9:20-10:20am Breakout Sessions #5
How to Read a Photograph: A hands-on workshop to analyze photos for historical or genealogical research
The Light and Dark Side of Museum Site Rentals
Graphic Merchandising: Generating revenue and awareness from your stories
Security Hardware for Your Museum, What to Consider
10:20-10:40am Morning Break
10:40-11:40am Breakout Sessions #6
Stop Buggin' Out: Everything You Need to Know About Pesticides in Museums
Hands-On History: Taking materials out of the museum
From Artifacts to Algorithms: How AI is Transforming Work in Museums
11:40am-1:30pm Lunch & History Awards Program
3:00pm Vendor Hall & Resource Swap Close
9:00am Morning Remarks
9:20-10:20am Breakout Sessions #5
How to Read a Photograph: A hands-on workshop to analyze photos for historical or genealogical research
The Light and Dark Side of Museum Site Rentals
Graphic Merchandising: Generating revenue and awareness from your stories
Security Hardware for Your Museum, What to Consider
10:20-10:40am Morning Break
10:40-11:40am Breakout Sessions #6
Stop Buggin' Out: Everything You Need to Know About Pesticides in Museums
Hands-On History: Taking materials out of the museum
From Artifacts to Algorithms: How AI is Transforming Work in Museums
11:40am-1:30pm Lunch & History Awards Program
3:00pm Vendor Hall & Resource Swap Close
THANK YOU 2025 CONFERENCE SPONSORS!
Become a sponsor! Details here.
Become a sponsor! Details here.
2024 Session Descriptions
WET SALVAGE TRAINING DEMONSTRATION
In the fall of 2023, MALHM members received wet salvage training from the Minnesota Art Conservation Center (MACC). The training involved learning how to safely remove documents, photographs, and artifacts from water and then techniques for drying those items. This session will demonstrate some of these techniques and allow attendees the opportunity to get their hands wet and learn salvage techniques for themselves.
Adam Smith, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Ann Grandy, Pope County Historical Society
Jenna Collins, Douglas County Historical Society
Jess Edberg, Dorothy Molter Museum
Petra Gunderson-Leith, Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County
Adam Smith, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Ann Grandy, Pope County Historical Society
Jenna Collins, Douglas County Historical Society
Jess Edberg, Dorothy Molter Museum
Petra Gunderson-Leith, Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County
CREATING A BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL
During our community outreach through the George Daniels Project, we heard from the stakeholders that our exhibit extends beyond the LeDuc Estate and into other parts of the city of Hastings, as well as the state. We partnered with Building Remembrance for Reconciliation (BR4R) to apply for a Partnership Grant to create a Concept Plan for a Black Heritage Trail in Hastings. We will explain the Daniels Project, the processes we went through for both projects, and share some of the outcomes from Black Heritage Trail Project.
Matt Carter, Dakota County Historical Society
James Curry, Building Remembrance for Reconciliation
Steve Boyd-Smith, Amplifier Experience Design
Matt Carter, Dakota County Historical Society
James Curry, Building Remembrance for Reconciliation
Steve Boyd-Smith, Amplifier Experience Design
10 ACTIONABLE DESIGN TIPS FOR COMMUNICATIONS
This session provides attendees with a toolbox of actionable tips to improve their messaging across different channels of communication, including email blasts, social media posts, and printed newsletters. The tips in this presentation include ways to improve your event and marketing photos, how to implement design principles across various mediums, how to utilize historic photos effectively on social media, how to increase the accessibility of your content, and more.
Brittany N. Johnson, Douglas County Historical Society
Emily Krawczewski, Washington County Historical Society
Brittany N. Johnson, Douglas County Historical Society
Emily Krawczewski, Washington County Historical Society
Managing Indefinite Loans: Two Case Studies
This session explores issues regarding indefinite loans with two case studies. First, a collections team from MNHS will discuss reviewing and adjusting their loan policies and procedures to create a safe holding place for objects from tribal partners. Next, many objects were loaned for indefinite periods to the Clay County Historical Society when it first opened a museum in 1936. The HCSCC has undertaken a project to resolve these indefinite loans through the 2004 Minnesota Museum Property Act. Walter Lehmann, an attorney specializing in museum legal issues, will lend his expertise.
Lisa Vedaa, Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County
Todd Topper, Minnesota Historical Society
Walter Lehmann, Lehmann PLC
Lisa Vedaa, Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County
Todd Topper, Minnesota Historical Society
Walter Lehmann, Lehmann PLC
Making history weird with minnesota historia
How do you make history more accessible to a wider audience? We suggest making it weird. And then putting it on YouTube! For the last three years, PBS North in Duluth has produced Minnesota Historia, a series of short, fast-paced videos that focus on some of the quirkiest stories in our state’s history. Many PBS stations around the country still follow the same old model, broadcasting 30 or 60-minute programs over the air. But with this project, PBS North aimed to reach younger millennial and Gen Z audiences through YouTube, Instagram and other social media. (Spoiler alert: They succeeded beyond their expectations!) Minnesota Historia’s host Hailey Eidenschink and producer Mike Scholtz believe this same approach could work well for museums, historical societies, and other historians around the state. And in this session, we’ll tell you how we do it! You’ll learn how we choose our topics, from Duluth’s failed bid for the 1932 Winter Olympics to the Boundary Waters’ Root Beer Lady. We’ll tell you how to decide if something is weird enough for the Minnesota Historia treatment. We’ll share details about how we research, script and film our episodes. We’ll give you tips on where to buy affordable bear costumes and vintage fish finders. Finally, we’ll show you just a few minutes from some of our favorite episodes, because watching fun videos about history can be incredibly inspiring!
Mike Scholtz, PBS North
Hailey Eidenschink, PBS North & St. Louis County Depot
Mike Scholtz, PBS North
Hailey Eidenschink, PBS North & St. Louis County Depot
Emotional Intelligence in the workplace
Effective leaders know they need to be excellent at emotional intelligence (EI), the skill of knowing and managing our own and others’ emotions. After all, the only things we can control in life are our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and if we can manage those, we can lead our organizations effectively.
Amy Puschinsky & T.J. Malaskee, Maplewood Area Historical Society
Amy Puschinsky & T.J. Malaskee, Maplewood Area Historical Society
Cleaning your artifacts
I will give a hands on demonstration for how to clean metals like silver and brass, wood items, textiles and more. I will also have various examples of cleaning products and tools that we use at Glensheen and some products that we never use. I will answer all your questions about specific things in your museum collection.
Milissa Brooks-Ojibway, Glensheen
Milissa Brooks-Ojibway, Glensheen
Strengthening statewide collaboration in community engaged work
During this session, participants will learn about and share opportunities to strengthen coordination and collaboration across the state in support of community-identified priorities and projects, specifically focusing on communities who have historically been excluded from public history work in MN. We will highlight examples, including the LGBTQIA+ Virtual History Tours Expansion Project, and we invite participants to come prepared to discuss projects and ideas from their own communities.
Jamie Kherbaoui, A'nia-Nicole Rae, Kimmy Tanaka, & Avi Viswanathan- Minnesota Historical Society
Jamie Kherbaoui, A'nia-Nicole Rae, Kimmy Tanaka, & Avi Viswanathan- Minnesota Historical Society
Marketing meets retail: how to grow your gift shop
Cross collaboration and idea sharing between marketing and retail can be an important part of growing your museum! Join Barbara Boo, Manager of Visitor Services at Glensheen, and Mike Mayou, Marketing Manager at Glensheen for a session about how to make your gift shop thrive through branding, design, and more.
Mike Mayou & Barbara Boo, Glensheen
Mike Mayou & Barbara Boo, Glensheen
keys to the kingdom: how to handle organizational transitions
Any transition in an organization can be hard, but even more so with staff. This session will discuss the challenges that come with changing staff and the loss of institutional knowledge. Dave Nichols will provide key steps that those leaving or moving in the organization can take to ensure that the organization can continue to thrive and have a smooth healthy transition.
Dave Nichols, Rice County Historical Society
Dave Nichols, Rice County Historical Society
Amplifying Indigenous Voices: a case study from the haha wakpadan (bassett creek) oral history project
Oral history interviews are a powerful way to strengthen connections with underserved communities and expand representation in museum exhibits, collections, and programming. We'll explore a case study from the Haha Wakpadan (Bassett Creek) watershed and discuss how to conduct respectful oral histories, share interviews through podcasts and programming, and build trust with Indigenous partners. These steps helped to create the first suburban Indigenous oral history project in the U.S. or Canada.
Crystal Boyd, Crystal Boyd Consulting
John Crippen, Hennepin History Museum
Crystal Boyd, Crystal Boyd Consulting
John Crippen, Hennepin History Museum
the g(r)oat: using primary resources in the creative writing classroom
We all have fantastic primary documents in our collections, but how can we best use them as an outreach and education tool? In this session, you'll experience the Creative Writing curriculum developed by ACHS using the Civil War diary kept by James Groat. You'll meet Groat, select a character in his world, sketch out their story, and work together in pairs to think about which items at your museum could work similarly.
Rebecca Desens, Anoka County Historical Society
Rebecca Desens, Anoka County Historical Society
we heart canva: how three museums use the free, intuitive online graphic design tool (and how you can too!)
Canva is an online graphic design platform that allows users to create a wide range of visual content, including presentations, social media graphics, posters, flyers, and more. FREE for non-profit organizations, it provides a user-friendly interface with a drag-and-drop design system, pre-designed templates, and a vast library of images, icons, fonts, and other design elements. Join us to discover how we use Canva for exhibits, marketing, and more, followed by a roundtable for museums to share their questions and best practices with one another.
Emily Thabes, Beltrami County Historical Society
Liz Schmidt, Goodhue County Historical Society
Emily Krawczewski, Washington County Historical Society
Emily Thabes, Beltrami County Historical Society
Liz Schmidt, Goodhue County Historical Society
Emily Krawczewski, Washington County Historical Society
how to read a photograph: a hands-on workshop to analyze photos for historical or genealogical research
Every photograph tells a story... but what is that story? Too often, historical photo collections in both large and small museums, libraries, or archives include a substantial portion of under-researched photos without clear indicators of who, what, where, why, and when. With scant information provided at the time of donation or lack of provenance, these "anonymous” photos become difficult to search, find, or make publicly accessible for research. Sadly, most museums struggle with the resources to research and interpret images efficiently and effectively. However, photographs remain wonderfully rich sources of historical or genealogical information. By "reading” or using strategies for researching a photograph, staff and volunteers can begin to transform photo descriptions from “man with dog” to “Mayor of Cloquet and his dog Sparky standing in Pinehurst Park, circa 1970.”
In this hands-on workshop, participants will improve basic visual literacy and historical thinking skills. Presenters will lead participants through a brief presentation and exercises that will build observation skills by asking them to observe, deduce, and infer from photographic examples provided. The exercise will include laying a grid over a photograph and asking participants to visually gather as much detailed information as possible (without assuming or speculating) about the people, objects, and activities depicted. For example, the participant will be prompted to ask questions like “why was this photo taken? And how can you tell?” What is observed hopefully leads to further questions that, through practice, make analyzing photographs more effective and efficient. Participants will receive take-home handouts and magnifying glasses will be provided.
Erin Hicks & Corrie Hackbarth, Lake Superior Railroad Museum
In this hands-on workshop, participants will improve basic visual literacy and historical thinking skills. Presenters will lead participants through a brief presentation and exercises that will build observation skills by asking them to observe, deduce, and infer from photographic examples provided. The exercise will include laying a grid over a photograph and asking participants to visually gather as much detailed information as possible (without assuming or speculating) about the people, objects, and activities depicted. For example, the participant will be prompted to ask questions like “why was this photo taken? And how can you tell?” What is observed hopefully leads to further questions that, through practice, make analyzing photographs more effective and efficient. Participants will receive take-home handouts and magnifying glasses will be provided.
Erin Hicks & Corrie Hackbarth, Lake Superior Railroad Museum
the light and dark side of museum site rentals
Many of us have meeting room or park space that we use at our organizations. Hear from a few different Historical Organizations on how they leverage their spaces as rental areas for extra income to support your mission while also hearing about some of the downsides of providing rentals.
Heather Harren, Blue Earth County Historical Society
Amy Puschinsky, Maplewood Area Historical Society
Kaci Johnson, Legacy of the Lakes Museum
Stephanie Kibler, Freeborn County Historical Society
Heather Harren, Blue Earth County Historical Society
Amy Puschinsky, Maplewood Area Historical Society
Kaci Johnson, Legacy of the Lakes Museum
Stephanie Kibler, Freeborn County Historical Society
graphic merchandising: generating revenue and awareness for your stories
This session will explore how to use your historical artifacts and local stories to create your own line of branded merchandise for sale in your own store or at local retailers in your community. We'll also look at the recent trend among developers to incorporate local history into their projects and how you can use those opportunities to generate revenue and awareness for your organization.
Alan Schutte, Platt Hollow Road
Alan Schutte, Platt Hollow Road
security hardware for your museum, what to consider
Security is an important and necessary part of any museum's risk management to adequately protect its assets. This session will cover components of a comprehensive security alarm system and closed-circuit television (CCTV)systems, including security camera types and features. Learn what to look for when selecting a vendor for your project, and what to expect while working with one.
Joe Hoover, Minnesota Historical Society
Joe Hoover, Minnesota Historical Society
stop buggin' out: everything you need to know about pesticides in museums
For many years, pesticides like arsenic, DDT, and mothballs were used in museums to prevent damage to collections from museum pests. Today, we know that these toxic chemicals are a health risk for museum staff, volunteers, and visitors; but how can they be identified? Can you keep affected items in your collection? What sorts of health and safety precautions should you take to protect yourself and others if you suspect pesticides might be present on an object?
In this session, you will learn about the historic timeline of pesticide use in museums, what types of pesticides you will most frequently encounter, and on what types of collections. Information will be shared about the methods for identifying pesticides, and you will learn about safe techniques for handling, storage, and labeling materials that are suspected or confirmed to contain pesticide residues.
Megan Brakob Narvey, Minnesota Historical Society
In this session, you will learn about the historic timeline of pesticide use in museums, what types of pesticides you will most frequently encounter, and on what types of collections. Information will be shared about the methods for identifying pesticides, and you will learn about safe techniques for handling, storage, and labeling materials that are suspected or confirmed to contain pesticide residues.
Megan Brakob Narvey, Minnesota Historical Society
hands-on history: taking materials out of the museum
Many museums have seen a decrease in field trip attendance due to time and budget restraints and educators have been asking for ways to better engage students. This presentation explores how museum staff can take their materials out of the archives and storage (scary, we know!) and bring them into classrooms to allow for deeper engagement and more effective learning. The presentation will discuss how to form community connections with educators, how to select items to use, how to create lesson plans with the materials that incorporate K-12 state standards and anchors, and suggest ways to ensure the safety and integrity of the materials.
Miranda Stueckrath, Stearns History Museum
Miranda Stueckrath, Stearns History Museum
From Artifacts to algorithms: how ai is transforming work in museums
Join us for an innovating session on the rapidly evolving world of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and how it is changing our work. Explore AI's transformative role in museums and historical societies around the world, and learn how you can use AI to enhance visitor experiences, preserve artifacts, and revolutionize curation, digitization, accessibility, and security.
Lisa Beecroft, White Bear Lake Area Historical Society
Lisa Beecroft, White Bear Lake Area Historical Society