On Friday, March 21, 2014, Greater Hudson Heritage Network will hold its 2014 Annual Conference at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York.  This annual conference attracts approximately 200 museum professionals from throughout the Hudson Valley and Metropolitan region.  This year’s conference theme is "TecHistory: Blending Technology and History to Reach New Audiences". The conference is presented in partnership with the Sound & Story Project of the Hudson Valley, the Hudson River Valley Institute, Southeastern NY Library Resources Council and funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. 

With technology expanding at a faster rate than ever before, it is important for heritage keepers to embrace the change and keep up with the times. Technology such as the Internet, Smart Phones and Tablets plus Social Media via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest have become the everyday tools people use to connect to the world. By exploring new ways of incorporating technology, sites can exhibit their collections in new educational and interpretive ways; take fresh steps to attract and engage a more diverse mix of visitors by using their permanent collections more creatively; and show how museums can continue to serve their entire community and make history a more meaningful presence in people's daily lives. Through the use of the latest digital technology and social media outlets, sites can repurpose their history collections and breathe new life into the stories that represent the diverse histories of the Hudson Valley. The conference will explore how using emerging technologies in libraries, archives and museums can expand our audiences reaching a new generation of users.

The Annual Conference will feature keynote speaker Tom Scheinfeldt, producer of Found History and Associate Professor of Digital Media and Design and Director of Digital Humanities in the Digital Media Center at the University of Connecticut. Tom has written and lectured extensively about the history of museums and the role of history in culture. The 2014 Annual Conference will also feature break-out presentations by your peers, breakfast, luncheon, exhibitor hall, networking opportunities, the Awards for Excellence ceremony, and more!

The afternoon program will include the presentation of the 2014 Awards for Excellence which seeks to recognize and commend exceptional efforts among your peers.  Awards are made to projects and organizations that exemplify creativity and professional vision resulting in a contribution to the preservation and interpretation of the historic scene, material culture and diversity of the Greater Hudson region- from the Battery to Albany.

GHHN Member: $45.00

Non- Member: $55.00

We hope to see you there!