Before the three days of informative sessions and networking events begin at WMA's Annual Meeting, WMA provides attendees with a unique opportunity to engage with one another during Pre-Conference Tours and Workshops. This year, a handful of attendees will go behind the scenes of some of Reno’s most iconic cultural institutions, and others will participate in hands-on workshops led by inspiring museum professionals and experts. Please keep in mind, each Tour and Workshop does require pre-registration, and space is limited.

Pre-Conference Tours

All take place at the specified institution/location on Wednesday, September 23.

 

Spike and Spiral (SOLD OUT)
8:00am - 3:30pm
$105, includes transportation, a tour, and a box lunch.

One bus has sold out. Add yourself to this waitlist for the Tour. Once we reach a minimum amount, an additional bus will be added.

Join us for a day of exploration at two sites where the landscape holds extraordinary stories — one etched in iron and ambition, the other coiled in rock and reflection. First stop is Golden Spike National Historical Park at Promontory Summit, where on May 10, 1869, the joining of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads completed the first transcontinental railroad. From there, we travel to the shore of the Great Salt Lake, where Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty (1970) extends 1,500 feet into the lakebed in a counterclockwise coil of black basalt rock and earth. Dr. Emily Lawhead, Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art and Annie Burbidge Ream, Co-Director of Learning and Engagement, K-12 and Family Programs at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, will offer a short talk before attendees explore the site on their own.

Note: The bus ride is approximately 2 hours each way. This tour is mostly outdoors on open, unpaved terrain, with limited cell service in some areas. Restrooms are available at Golden Spike National Historical Park but not at the Spiral Jetty. Wear sturdy shoes and layers; hats, sunglasses, and sunblock are recommended. The Spiral Jetty site is not ADA accessible. The tour will proceed rain or shine. Attendees are encouraged to learn more about the Spiral Jetty before the tour by exploring resources here.

Topaz: Confronting a Shared History
8:00am - 4:00pm
$25, includes transportation, a tour, and a box lunch

Join us for a day of reflection and learning as we travel to the Topaz Museum and the historic site of the Topaz War Relocation Center in Delta — a place that holds one of the most sobering chapters in American history: the imprisonment of people of Japanese ancestry during World War II.

Note: The bus ride between Salt Lake City and Delta is approximately 2 to 2.5 hours each way. The Topaz site is outdoors on unpaved terrain and is not ADA accessible. Wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes and layers; hats, sunglasses, and sunblock are recommended. Do not remove any artifacts from the site; watch for rusty nails and prairie dog tunnels. The tour will proceed rain or shine.

Restoring Wuda Ogwa
8:00am - 4:00pm 
$25, includes transportation, a tour, and a box lunch
This tour is underwritten by the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation and the Hyrum City Museum.

Join Tribal Elder Rios Pacheco and Tribal Council Vice Chairman Brad Parry to travel to sites significant for the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation. These two sites tell a connected story — of loss, survival, and renewal. First, we will travel north to Wuda Ogwa (Bear River), where tribal ancestors gathered each winter to camp and perform the Warm Dance. In 1863, this site witnessed a massacre of 400 Shoshone men, women, and children in what is now known as the Bear River Massacre. From there, we will travel south, following the path of the surviving tribal members to the Washakie Cemetery to hear more about how the tribe is actively preserving its history, language, and cultural knowledge for future generations.

Note: The bus ride between Salt Lake City and the sites is approximately 2 hours each way, offering ample time to connect with fellow attendees. This tour is entirely outdoors on open, unpaved terrain. Portions of the tour will be in rural sites with limited cell service. Portable restrooms are available at Wuda Ogwa. There are no facilities at Washakie, though the tour may include a stop at a nearby gas station. Attendees should wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes and layers. Long sleeves/pants, hats, sunglasses, and sunblock are recommended. The tour will proceed rain or shine. 

Hike to Living Room Lookout
11:00am - 2:30pm
$15, includes transportation and guide

Lace up your hiking shoes and join us on one of Salt Lake City’s most beloved trails! Located immediately behind the Natural History Museum of Utah, this trail leads you to a lookout where you can pause and take in a stunning view of the city. Our local guides will show you the city’s landmarks and tell you about the unique natural history of the Wasatch Range. Time permitting, the group may also stop at the Natural History Museum of Utah to view an exhibition or enjoy a refreshment at the Canyon Café.

This trail is moderately strenuous and participants should be comfortable with sustained uphill hiking. Comfortable clothes and hiking shoes or sneakers are recommended. Sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat are recommended, and layers are advisable as temperatures at the lookout may be cooler than in the city. The trailhead begins at an elevation of 5,000 feet with a 1,000-foot elevation gain to the top. The average round-trip for the 2-mile hike is 1.5 hours.

CSI: Registrars
9:00am - 3:00pm
Location: Fort Douglas Military Museum
Free to RC-WR Members - event space limited (visit RCWR.org to join us for just $25/year!).
Free lunch provided courtesy of RC-WR

Pre-Conference Workshops

All take place at the specified institution/location on Wednesday, September 23.

From ASPIRE to Influence: Storytelling for Advocacy and Fundraising

9:00am - 1:00pm 
Location: Clark Planetarium
$25, includes all materials

No matter your role or career stage, every museum professional CAN advocate effectively for their organization and its mission. How do we move from intention to action in advocacy and fundraising? This session introduces Public Narrative (story of self, us, and now) as a practical framework to build confidence, align teams, and motivate collective action. Participants will engage in guided exercises to reconnect with their “why” and leave with tools they can immediately apply.

Exhibits 102: Prototyping for Exhibits, Organizational Culture, and Getting Unstuck
9:00am - 3:00pm 
Location: Process Curiosity
$25, includes transportation and all materials

There are so many ways to get stuck in museum work. Prototyping is thought of as design tool, but it can be used in many aspects of museum practice to get us unstuck– this hands-on session offers an atypical perspective on prototyping–exploring the process of prototyping as an essential museum practice that applies to every department in your institution; from exploring exhibit & program ideas, to deepening community relationships, to building a more adventurous, innovative culture.

STEM Rooted in Culture: Collaborative, Sustained, and Empowering Community Partnerships
10:30am - 2:30pm 
Location: Red Butte Garden & Arboretum
$25, includes transportation, all materials, and a no host lunch at the museum cafe

The Natural History Museum of Utah’s STEM Rooted in Culture (SRIC) educator workshop series brings together community experts and museum educators. Together we help educators broaden understanding and diversify teaching practices in the K-12 social studies and STEM classroom. Participants in this half-day workshop will experience past workshop highlights first-hand. NHMU and our partners will share our efforts to elevate Indigenous knowledge, cultivate sustained and meaningful community partnerships, and increase equity and access for students.

Each of these Pre-Conference Tours and Workshops require pre-registration.
Please register here or click the button below.
We look forward to welcoming you to Salt Lake City!
 

Register Here!

Download the WMA | UMA 2026 Preliminary Program