Annual Conference Programm – Warsaw 2026: Jewish Museums and People.

Day I
Sunday, 7 June 2026

10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Registration

10:30 AM Guided tours of the Core Exhibition, the temporary exhibition, and the Jewish Historical Institute

1:00 PM LUNCH

2:00 PM OPENING CEREMONY

Dariusz Stola, Director, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews
Mirjam Wenzel, Director, Jewish Museum Frankfurt and Chair of the Board, Association of European Jewish Museums

2:20 PM KEYNOTE LECTURE
The changing role of the public in the history of museums — from the Kunstkammer to the participatory museum
Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, Curator, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

3:00 PM PLENARY SESSION 1
Subject: How are museums incorporating changes in cultural engagement?

Some museums underwent major transformations, others redefined their mission and core exhibitions. What were the criteria that guided their implementation of change? What were the results with regard to the presentation of their collections on the one hand and the audiences on the other?

Chair: Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

• Mirjam Wenzel, Jewish Museum Frankfurt, Chair of the AEJM Board
• Netta Assaf, National Library of Israel
• Taina Máret Pieski, SIIDA Sami Museum, Finland

4:30 PM COFFEE BREAK

5:00 PM PLENARY SESSION 2
Subject: Who are our audiences, and what shapes them?

As society is rapidly changing, museum audiences are evolving as well. This session presents insights from recent audience research, examining the expectations, behaviors, and cultural habits of museum visitors. It also explores the social contexts that shape their experiences and asks how these factors influence engagement with Jewish heritage.

Chair: Zuzanna Schnepf-Kołacz, Jewish Historical Institute, Warsaw

• John Falk, Institute for Learning Innovation, Oregon
• Małgorzata Zając, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw
• Anika Reichwald, Jewish Museum Berlin

6:30 PM End of the day’s program

Day 2
Monday, 8 June 2026

9:30 AM MORNING COFFEE

10:00 AM NETWORKING SESSION
Let’s meet — a networking session

At a conference dedicated to “Jewish Museums and People”, people are at its very heart. This interactive session is an invitation to pause, meet one another, and build meaningful connections within this community. Through a series of facilitated interactions, participants will have the opportunity to get to know each other, exchange experiences, and engage in peer-to-peer exchange among professionals working in Jewish museums. We hope that these first conversations will spark new ideas — and perhaps even lead to future collaborations beyond the conference.
Facilitated by: The TROP Foundation (leadership development)

11:30 PM PLENARY SESSION 3
Subject: Are we shaping or falsifying our understanding of the past by implementing new technologies?

Emerging technologies are transforming the cultural habits of visitors and everyday museum practice. This session reflects on whether — and under what conditions — digital tools such as VR, AR and AI can enhance engagement with the past without distorting memory or compromising the authenticity of historical witnesses. What are the potentials of these tools for museums? And which ethical questions should be raised for their responsible use?

Chair: Naomi Lubrich, Jewish Museum Switzerland

• Monika Koszyńska, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw
• Olga Melasecchi, Jewish Museum of Rome
• Barbara Staudinger, Jewish Museum Vienna

1:00 PM LUNCH

2:00 PM PLENARY SESSION 4
Subject: We at the museum

Working in a Jewish Museum is a meaningful, fascinating, and important task. At the same time, it is demanding, aggravating and constantly challenging. Can we make sure that emotions of the topics we are addressing do not overwhelm us, on the long run? How can we create a supportive and empathetic work environment for ourselves and our successors?

Chair: Joanna Fikus, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw, Member of the AEJM Board

• Katarzyna Kulińska, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw
• Natania Dan, Jewish Cultural Quarter Amsterdam
• Nisya Isman Allovi, The Quincentennial Foundation Museum of Turkish Jews, Istanbul, Member of the AEJM Board

3:30 PM COFFEE BREAK

4:00 PM WORKSHOP AND MASTERCLASS SESSIONS

Groups:

• Communication workshop: how to stand out from the crowd? Katarzyna Krauze, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw
• Presentation: fundraising from private sources — how does it work? Bartek Dymarek, Association of the Jewish Historical Institute in Poland
• Things you think but don’t want to say in your institution – Kamila Radecka-Mikulicz, Elżbieta Grab, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw
• Participatory approaches in creating exhibitions – Franziska Krah, Jewish Museum Frankfurt
• The people we talk about – ethical aspects – Zuzanna Benesz-Goldfinger, Jewish Historical Institute, Warsaw
• How do EU grants work? FEnIKS and more – Maria Ostrowska, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw, Oliver Baurhenn (AEJM)
• How October the 7th and its aftermath change the image of Jews and what it means for Jewish museums? – Dagmara Mańka-Wizor & Julia Chimiak, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw

5:30 PM PLENARY SESSION 5
Subject: Recent developments due to new fundings

Chair: Petra Katzenstein, Jewish Cultural Quarter Amsterdam, Member of the AEJM Board

• Mirjam Wenzel, Association of European Jewish Museums, Chair of the AEJM Board
• Sharon Reichel, Association of European Jewish Museums, Member of the AEJM Board
• Łucja Koch, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw
• Maria Ostrowska, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw

6:15 PM End of the day’s program

7:00 PM RECEPTION AT THE PALACE OF THE COMMONWEALTH
Pl. Krasiński 3/5, 00-207 Warsaw

One of Warsaw’s most magnificent Baroque residences, designed by Tylman van Gameren and steeped in centuries of distinguished history, today forms part of the National Library. During the reception, we will have the rare opportunity to view selected treasures from its collections, made accessible exclusively for our group.

Day 3
Tuesday, 9 June 2026

9:30 AM MORNING COFFEE

10:00 AM PLENARY SESSION 6
Subject: What are the tasks of Jewish museums in face of terror, war, and increasing hostilities?

Jewish Museums in Europe, the United States and Australia are confronted with rising hostilities towards Jews and antisemitic terror attacks whereas museums in Israel and Ukraine have been carrying out their tasks under the condition of war. What is the impact of this situation on the institution? How can museums remain resilient? The panel will give an insight into the situation of museums that were either subject of terror or affected by war and nearby terror attacks. It thereby addresses their role as resilient actors with a mission in their respective community or society.

Chair: Mirjam Wenzel, Jewish Museum Frankfurt, Chair of the AEJM Board

• Dariusz Stola, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw
• Barbara Cuglietta, Jewish Museum of Belgium
• Anna Yamchuk, Jewish Museum Chernivtsi
• Candice Mendes da Costa, Jewish Museum London

11:30 AM COFFEE BREAK

11:45 AM PLENARY SESSION 7
Subject: New developments and projects in the field

Chair: Petra Katzenstein, Jewish Cultural Quarter Amsterdam, Member of the AEJM Board

• 11:45 AM Recent developments within CAJM – Karen Franklin, Council of American Jewish Museums (CAJM)
• 12:00 PM Pecha Kucha style presentations – new initiatives

1:00 PM LUNCH

2:00 PM Feedback and reflections

End of the day’s program

2:30 PM AEJM annual general meeting

2:30 PM Social and cultural program – excursions
AEJM Excursions:

• Guided tour of Jewish Warsaw
• Guided tour of the Museum of Warsaw
• Guided tour of the Museum of Modern Art