EthnoConnection 2026 International Conference will be held from 18-20 October 2026 in BUDAPEST, HUNGARY.
Call for Paper: Closed
Price: Please refer to the website. For regular ticket, HUF 60,000 +27%VAT
→ Event official website
The Museum of Ethnography in Budapest, as a flagship institute in the region, is on a mission to create an international platform for museum experts’ regular connection and open discussions around hot topics in the museum sector.
EthnoConnection 2026 International Conference in Budapest, brings together 200+ museum professionals, cultural thoughtleaders to discuss this year’s topic „The Temptation of Permanence, A critical approach to museums’ permanent exhibitions”.
The 2,5 day event features an internationally renowned Keynote Speaker, 6 Lead speakers from well-acknowledged European Museums and many more Expert Speakers on the topic.
Is the permanent exhibition still a relevant, valid and sustainable format in the 21st century? How does it relate to the museum as an institutional form? Do globalisation, rapid social, economic, political and environmental changes, and the transformation of academic disciplines still allow us to think in terms of this genre? How can historical collections be meaningfully connected to contemporary society? What place does critical approach occupy in such a long-term project? How should museums position themselves towards colonial and other historical or ideological legacies, or towards present-day political expectations? How can a permanent exhibition remain meaningful decades after its opening? What alternative models could replace the traditional permanent exhibition? And why do many museums choose not to present their collections in a permanent display at all?
After more than eight years of work, the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest opened its new permanent collection exhibition in 2024 within the new building of the 154-year-old institution. This display with a large floor area, featuring thousands of objects, documents, photographs and audiovisual materials, confronted its curators with questions that pose significant challenges to any institution undertaking a similar project, regardless of disciplinary background. For this reason, we invite museum professionals from a wide range of fields to join a dialogue on the nature and future of permanent exhibitions.