41st Annual SMA Conference

Bus Tour: Planning for Interpretation at Black and African American Heritage Sites

Gaithersburg and Montgomery County are rich in Black and African American history, with a variety of museums and heritage sites dedicated to preserving related collections, spaces, and stories. On this five-hour bus tour, visit several of these sites and engage in a multi-site conversation about the tools these museums have used and developed to guide interpretation within the context of Black and African American histories and cultures. This tour includes vastly different approaches to interpretation and stages of implementation. The experience will offer entry points for representatives of museums at any stage of considering how to interpret or reinterpret their site or collections. Accessibility note: while much of this tour will take place indoors, the tour will include brief stops outdoors. Attendees should wear comfortable walking shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather.

This tour is sponsored by Heritage Montgomery. Lunch will be provided.

This tour will conclude at the site of the opening reception at approximately 3:30pm with service back to the Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center following the reception at approximately 6:00pm.

Bus tour participants must be registered for the Small Museum Association 2025 Annual Conference. Bus tour registrations for individuals not also registered for the conference will be cancelled and refunded.