The UK’s leading museum and heritage event comes to Oxford.
Museum Diplomacy in Action takes place on 16-17 April 2026 in Oxford, exploring the unique role of museums as cultural diplomats in an increasingly uncertain world.
Museums are increasingly globally engaged and deal with global challenges, an agenda that often requires museum professionals to play an important diplomatic role. At the same time, museums – and other memory institutions – hold a privileged position, being widely considered as trustworthy sources of public information. They operate as spaces where narratives, perspectives and values are communicated. They can foster cultural exchange, mediate cross-cultural understanding and encourage global cooperation. Their unique position – between heritage, knowledge and public engagement – makes them powerful agents of cultural diplomacy with the ability to maintain trusting relationships and build bridges, also when more formal diplomatic channels might be strained or broken.
The ICOM UK conference for 2026 will showcase practical examples of how museums can engage in cultural diplomacy to bridge cultural divides, address global challenges, stimulate collaboration, strengthen and heal international relationships. It will explore the unique position of museums as powerful cultural diplomats in an uncertain world. Delegates can expect to learn from tangible examples of museum diplomacy in action and leave feeling empowered to think about their own role and agenda on an international stage.
Sub-themes:
Cross-cultural co-operation – How do museums bridge cultural divides to achieve meaningful collaboration and sustained international relationships?
The role of museums in conflict – How can museums serve their communities before, during and after armed conflict? What role do museums have in cultural diplomacy in support of national security?
Museums as spaces of healing – How do museums act and create safe spaces for improved understanding, reconciliation and healing across cultural differences and international borders?
Maximising global engagement through partnership – How do museums work with other sectors (e.g. media, technology, sport, higher education, creative industries, etc) to maximise their role as cultural diplomats?
An Equitable Future – How are museums employing a globally-engaged posture to work internationally in an uncertain world and move towards a more equitable future?
Early Bird tickets are live – book now
Venues
The conference unfolds across five beautiful, centrally located venues – Oxford University Museum of Natural History, the Ashmolean Museum, the Pitt Rivers Museum, the History of Science Museum, and the Museum of Oxford. All venues are a short walk apart, offering an inspiring backdrop for two days of discussion and collaboration.
Meet the Speakers
Conference speakers will showcase UK and international case studies of museum diplomacy in action through presentations, panel discussions and workshops. Speakers will be announced here shortly.
Programme
Our conference 2026 programme of talks, panel discussions, workshops, museum and walking tours will be announced here shortly.
Accommodation
ICOM UK has secured a small allocation of rooms at Worcester College, Oxford – offering historic student accommodation with access to the college grounds and an exceptional central location just a short walk from the main conference venues. Rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so early booking is strongly recommended. You can book accommodation at Worcester College when purchasing your conference tickets.
A range of accommodation options are available across Oxford, from affordable city-centre hotels to five-star stays. UniversityRooms offers budget-friendly college accommodation, while centrally located options include Premier Inn Westgate, voco Oxford Spires, the Royal Oxford Hotel and the Courtyard by Marriott Oxford. For those seeking premium stays, Oxford offers several five-star hotels including Malmaison Oxford, The Store Oxford, Vanbrugh House Hotel and the Old Bank Hotel.
Partners & Sponsors
We are grateful to our partners and sponsors for their invaluable contributions and support that have made this conference possible –
Art Fund; National Museum Directors’ Council; University of Oxford Gardens, Libraries & Museums; Barker Langham; Narro; Dellner Glass Solutions; Nomad Exhibitions and blooloop.
ICOM UK’s 2026 Annual Conference programme is co-curated with ICOM Canada’s Dr Sascha Priewe, co-editor of Museum Diplomacy: How Cultural Institutions Shape Global Engagement.
Questions?
For any questions or general enquiries, please contact our conference coordinator at conference@icomuk.org
