2025 Nebraska Museums Association Conference Schedule
All presentations, workshops, sessions, and events will take place at the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center unless noted otherwise. Schedule may be subject to change.
Sunday, April 6, 2025
5:00pm – 7:00pm
Registration Opens and Special Kickoff Event at the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center
- Register for the Conference and Receive your Name Badge and Other Special Conference Items
- During the Evening Event:
- Food and Drinks provided by the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center
- Meet your NMA Board and Area Representatives
- Participate in a fun, casual, teambuilding game with other conference attendees. Free copies of the game will be available for you to take home with you for you to share with your own museum staff, team, and volunteer groups.
Monday, April 7, 2025
7:30am – 8:30am
Registration Open and Continental Breakfast
- Register for the Conference and Receive your Name Badge and Other Special Conference Items
8:30am – 11:00am
Concurrent Workshops
Pre-Registration is required for each workshop. Please check your emailed conference registration confirmation to check with one you are pre-registered for. Both workshops will take place at the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center.
Workshop 1: Digitization on a Dime: Planning and Implementing a Digitization Program at Small Museums
Presenter: Karen Keehr
The future is digital! Planning and implementing a digitization program can be daunting. This workshop will break down the process into easy steps. Archives, museums, and libraries digitize their collections for many reasons. Digital surrogates protect fragile and vulnerable originals from handling. Online access to digital images increases audiences, and new researchers discover the treasures held in your archives. Digitization is, however, a commitment. By creating a digitization program, you are committing to keeping up with technologies and digital preservation. Learn to create a plan you can take to your board, select equipment based on your inventory, develop digitization standards, manage your digital objects and options for public access. It will also provide tips and tricks for achieving the best scans possible.
Karen Keehr joined the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia in June 2022 with over 25 years of experience in the Archives field. She has specialized training in digital imaging and photograph preservation. One of her goals at AHSGR is to increase access to our unique German Russian collections through digital access and improved archival processing.
Workshop 2: Trailblazing Fundraising: Mapping Your Path to Success
Presenter: Jamie Simek
Fundraising can feel like an uphill climb for museums with limited resources and budgets, but you can confidently navigate the journey with the right map. In this interactive workshop, you’ll explore the fundraising cycle, learn how to balance different revenue streams, and create a practical fundraising plan tailored to your organization’s needs. Along the way, we’ll break down budget essentials, uncover donor engagement strategies, and carve out time for you to start building your own plan. Whether forging a new path or refining your current route, you’ll leave with the tools (and motivation!) to blaze a successful fundraising trail. Lace up your boots and join us on this adventure!
Jamie Simek brings more than 20 years of experience in the arts and culture and higher education sectors. Currently, she leads the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art’s marketing and development departments as Vice President for Advancement. In this role, she is responsible for fundraising, membership, donor engagement initiatives, and all external communications and marketing. As the author of Beyond the Bake Sale: Fundraising for Local History Organizations and an experienced presenter, she provides practical, actionable advice to help museums strengthen donor relationships, grow individual giving, and build capacity—even with limited resources. Jamie is passionate about empowering small institutions to achieve big results through focused and personalized fundraising strategies.
11:00am – 12:30pm
Lunch on Your Own
You are welcome to explore Alliance’s restaurant options, or feel free to stay at the Knight Museum as boxed lunches will be provided by the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center. The boxed lunches option includes various wraps, Jello cups, and a dessert.
12:30pm – 4:30pm
Local Alliance Tours
*Please Note that some tours require pre-registration, please check your emailed registration confirmation.
Carhenge
- This unique replica of the world-famous Stonehenge was constructed out of old cars in 1987 by the Jim Reinders family in memory of his father during a family reunion. The site also includes sculptures made of old cars and/or car parts. Widely considered one of Nebraska’s most unique and fun tourist attractions.
- Website: carhenge.com
The Sallows Military Museum
- The Sallows Military Museum’s stated purpose is to “Remember, Honor, and Educate” and is dedicated to the men and women who served our country in time of conflict. Weapons, uniforms, accessories, memorabilia, pictures, and written documents are available for viewing. Displayed items and information come primarily from individuals with some connection to the western Nebraska area.
- Website: sallowsmilitarymuseum.com
The Carnegie Arts Center
- The Carnegie Arts Center is a vibrant hub for cultural expression and artistic discovery. Since its inception in 1993, this beloved institution has been a beacon for artists and art lovers alike, offering a welcoming space to engage with the visual, performing, and literary arts.
- Website: carnegieartscenter.com
The New Nebraska State Veteran’s Cemetery
- The new, updated cemetery is a recent addition to the Alliance area. It was built to an overlook of the World War II Airbase for paratroopers that was once located near the site, and is a place dedicated to honoring Nebraskans who served.
- Website: veterans.nebraska.gov/nebraska-veterans-cemetery-alliance
Dobby’s Frontier Town
- Step back in time to the turn-of-the-century and see what life was like for the early settlers of the plains. Featuring an authentic 1889 One room schoolhouse, General Store, post office, the First Black Homestead in Nebraska, 1912 German Evangelical Immanuel Lutheran Church, a Texaco Gas Station from Chadron State Park, a Baled straw house and more!
- Website: dobbysfrontiertown.com
Knight Museum and Sandhills Center
- Out esteemed 2025 NMA Conference Host, the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center is an innovative historical museum that features five areas of local history: Life in the Sandhills, Native American Life, Life in the Country, Life in the Town, and The Railroad. Also on site is their Heritage Room famous for its broad range of genealogy research.
- Website: knightmuseum.com
4:30pm – 5:30pm
Break
5:30pm – 8:00pm
Evening Event at the Knight Museum
- Celebrate the Knight Museum’s 60th anniversary with a ’60s Themed Party. Feel free to dress up in your favorite 60s attire and join the groovy, cool, far out fun!
- Food and Drink provided by the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center including Moo, Oink & Cluck sliders, appetizers, charcuterie, fondue, dessert, and drinks.
- Explore the Knight Museum Exhibits.
- Special Behind-the-Scenes Tours.
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
8:00am – 8:30am
Registration Open and Continental Breakfast
- Register for the Conference and Receive your Name Badge and Other Special Conference Items
8:30am – 9:30am
Concurrent Breakout Sessions – Group 1
Session A: Refresh those Exhibits!
Presented by Sandra Reddish, Western Nebraska Coordinator with the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation and Douglas Pederson of Douglas Designs Graphic Services
Do your museum’s exhibits need a refresh or upgrade, however, the museum budget is limited? It’s time to consider options such as graphic design firms, especially those locally or within a reasonable distance from your museum. When Sandra Reddish contacted Doug, it was a new experience for them both. First, because she had never worked with a graphic designer on museum projects. It was also a first for him, because he had never designed anything museum related, but he came up with great suggestions and designs. The price ended up being more than reasonable, and turnaround time was fast. His design creations are now on display at Ash Hollow State Historical Park Museum. This session will show what a graphic designer can create for your exhibits to give them a fresh look without causing sticker shock. There will also be suggestions for other small exhibit boosts to engage visitors too.
Session B: “Museums as the New Third Space: Building Community Across Cultural Divides”
Presented by: Dustin Southworth, Membership and Marketing Coordinator at the Norfolk Arts Center and Ryan Ruff with ASA Financial.
In a time when heightened political polarization and declining religious affiliations have led many to dehumanize those with differing beliefs, museums stand poised to serve as a neutral, inclusive “third space.” Due to the rise of social media, individuals often lack real-life exposure to people outside their own circles, misconceptions can flourish and lead to false ideas about each other’s motives. Museums, however, offer shared experiences—through historical displays, cultural exhibits, and interactive programs—that bring together people who might otherwise remain isolated. By learning side by side, visitors can see common interests and break down preconceived biases, fostering a renewed sense of empathy and understanding. This presentation explores the practical strategies that museums can employ to become active facilitators of dialogue and unity. Ultimately, this session will highlight the transformative potential of museums to engage local communities, inspire critical thinking, and serve as vital connectors in our rapidly changing world.
Session C: “Everything is Not Fine: Managing Your Mental Health in Museum Work”
Presented by: Autumn Langemeier, Coordinator for the Nebraska State Historical Marker Programs, Emma Reiner, Family and Community Educator at the Nebraska History Museum, and Samantha McCarville, Educator at the Nebraska History Museum.
Museum workers and associated staff are often called to consider and interpret difficult topics. They interact with a public that has as many perspectives and attitudes as they have individuals. The politically charged atmosphere and daily grind emphasis in the U.S. can leave many feeling lost for balance and overwhelmed by the demands of their work. This session combines shared experience with brainstorming of small scale ways museum people can create a big impact and a better environment for themselves and their working community. This session will discuss ways to cope with emotional and physical burnout as well as how to form communities of support within your place of work and your home community. Ideas and strategies will be swapped during discussion and a resource list shared by the presenters. Our mental and physical well-being is just as important as the work we are dedicated to doing.
9:30am – 9:45am
Break
9:45am – 10:45am
Concurrent Breakout Sessions – Group 2
Session D: “How I Help Museums ‘Say Hi’ to AI”
Presented by: Hunter Bergman, founder of the Hi.AI Program
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can feel like a mystery, but it’s really just another tool—like email or social media—that can make running a museum easier. In this talk, I’ll demystify AI, explain how it’s already shaping organizations, and where it’s heading in the future. More importantly, I’ll show museum professionals how they can take advantage of AI today to save time, cut costs, and create better visitor experiences. Attendees will take a quick AI IQ assessment to see where they stand, then walk away with a simple, actionable roadmap for using AI in their museum—without needing a tech background.
Session E: “Tell Your Museum’s Story: How to Use Visit Nebraska’s Marketing Tools”
Presented by: Ben Jones, Marketing Specialist at Visit Nebraska
Do you want to tell more people about your museum? Maybe you have a limited marketing budget. Maybe creating the right social media content seems intimidating. Don’t worry, Visit Nebraska is here to help! Your state tourism agency provides some basic but effective places to start getting your story out. In this session, we’ll cover:
- How to use Visit Nebraska’s free tools for your museum to reach a larger audience, including website & event listings, social media inclusion, national media pitching and more.
- Current social media and tourism trends and basic creation principles for limited resources and budgets.
- Other opportunities including social media blitzes, Nebraska Travel Guide inclusion, advertising and more.
You will also learn some of the basics about Visit Nebraska and how to get more involved:
- Mission, structure and staff
- Marketing strategies
- Tourism grant programs
- How to be on the Nebraska Passport
Session F: “Youth Volunteerism in a Small to Mid-Sized Museum Setting”
Presented by: Alyssa Smith from Stuhr Museum
Join Alyssa Smith, coordinator of Stuhr Museum’s Living History Apprentice (LHA) program, for a discussion on engaging and empowering youth volunteers in a small to mid-sized museum setting. Finding the right places to utilize volunteers of any age can be a challenge, but youth volunteers often come with their own particular set of parameters. Since taking on the Living History Apprentice program in 2022, we have seen substantive growth – from 38 youth volunteers in 2022 who worked a total of 1816.25 hours, to 62 youth volunteers who worked over 3100 hours in 2024. Hear about logistical approaches and real-world examples of how we have worked to foster a self-sustaining youth volunteer program that engages burgeoning historians to become active members of the museum community and provide significant assistance in a small to mid-sized museum setting.
10:45am – 11:00am
Break and Last Chance to Purchase Raffle Tickets
All proceeds for the Raffle go directly into NMA’s Disaster Relief Mini Grants which are eligible to all NMA members.
11:00am – 12:00pm
Keynote Speaker Presentation
Keynote Speaker Presentation: “Looking Back While Moving Forward – How Small Towns Utilize Their History in Making Things New.”
Nebraska Museums Association proudly welcomes Sheila Jenkinson as this year’s Keynote Speaker.
Have you heard the stories? Have you seen it first-hand? A revitalization movement is sweeping through Nebraska and helping many small towns gain notoriety while rebuilding their communities. These stories of persistence and community pride in light of history will be highlighted through episode clips, photos, videos, and personal insights. You’ll hear from several Nebraska Museum Association members who have been featured in Growing Small Town Nebraska Podcast episodes over the past few years. Find out how small towns throughout Nebraska are looking back to propel forward and how museums play a key part in keeping Nebraskans firmly planted in their roots. Sheila is passionate about Nebraska and has a long-nurtured love of museums. Expect a hands-on call to action and time for questions and answers. Be prepared to share your own stories with the podcast host during the conference, they may be featured during this interactive talk.
Sheila Jenkinson is the host of the “Growing Small Town Nebraska Podcast” producing seven episodes each month including GSTN standard episodes, Sheila’s Shoutouts, Foundation Fridays, and Growing Nebraska & Beyond. You can listen anywhere you find your favorite podcasts. She is also considered a Travel Influencer and has been a two-time guest of Pure Nebraska, has had collaborations with several other podcasters including The Good Life Small Business Podcast, Oh My Omaha, and Local Routes—based in Iowa.
Sheila has over twenty years of on-air radio experience, including roles as morning show co-host and news director. Her work as a podcast host finds her traveling throughout the state and sometimes beyond, often visiting museums along the way. She and her husband Clark live in rural Stanton County where they raised their two children, now young adults, to love and appreciate what museums of all sizes could bring to their lives. Her family understands the importance of looking at the past in order to move forward, and she believes this is a legacy that will be passed on to future generations.
12:00pm – 1:30pm
Lunch and Annual NMA Business Meeting; Raffle Winners Announced
We welcome you to our annual Nebraska Museums Association business meeting to be held at the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center. Free nacho bar buffet lunch provided.
1:30pm – 2:30pm
Concurrent Breakout Sessions – Group 3
Session G: “Moving Outside of the Box: Renew and Revitalize Traditional Programs”
Presented by: Araceli Hernandez, Director of the Nebraska History Museum, Autumn Langemeier, Coordinator for the Nebraska State Historical Marker Programs and Michael Belding, III, National Register coordinator at the Nebraska State Historical Society.
The discussion on the place of traditional programming for historical societies and museums has as many perspectives as there are practitioners in the field. Looking at three examples from the Nebraska State Historical Society, we consider how programming that has been the bread and butter of historical organizations for decades (field trips, historical designation, and historical marker commemoration) can be given new life and audiences. With a conference theme of “Remembering Yesterday, Planning for Tomorrow,” this session will be a timely discussion of ways that the tried and true staples of history museums can come together with innovative techniques, perspectives, and formats to revitalize both interest in old audiences as well as bring in new stakeholders for these programs.
Session H: “Sound of Digitization: Preserving Audio Cassette Recordings”
Presented by: Amber Mikkelsen, Archival Research Coordinator at the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia and Karen Keehr, Interim Executive Director at the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia.
Cassettes are some of the most vulnerable research materials in our collections. In perfect condition, cassettes have a lifespan of about 30 years yet, many of our most valuable recordings have surpassed the optimal range by decades. Cassettes are susceptible to changes in temperature and humidity, exposure to magnetic fields, dust, and mold. In 2024, AHSGR received a grant from the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation to purchase a professional quality cassette deck to improve the quality of our digitization efforts. As part of the project, AHSGR staff created policies and procedures for cassette digitization which they will share with you during this engaging session.
2:30pm – 2:45pm
Break
2:45pm – 3:45pm
Concurrent Breakout Sessions – Group 4
Session I: “History & Community: How to Engage your Community”
Presented by: Micah Huyser, Executive Director of the Nebraska Prairie Museum and NMA Board Vice President
Every historical organization wants to see community members coming through the door, but have you considered bringing your organization to them? Of course, you can’t physically move your museum, but Micah Huyser will present several success stories and ideas on how the Nebraska Prairie Museum brought awareness to the community’s history and how that outreach impacted the museum.
Session J: “The Japanese Hall and History Project”
Presented by: Vickie Sakurada Schaepler, Chair and Coordinator of the Japanese Hall and History Project and David Wolf, Executive Director of the Legacy of the Plains Museum
Built in 1929, the Japanese Hall served as a community center, and it was used for a board house, school, church, temple, reception hall, and much more in the 90 years it was in operation. It has been moved to the Legacy of the Plains Museum and renovated into a first-class museum.
Vickie and David will talk about the Japanese Hall and History Project. Vickie will talk about the history of the project, forming a national advisory committee, and her work with the Japanese American Community to obtain artifacts, stories, and their support. David will talk about the project from the museum’s perspective- setting it up as its own committee, the challenges and opportunities that have been presented, and how it has been integrated into the museum’s campus.
3:45pm – 4:00pm
Last Call for Silent Auction
All proceeds from the Silent Auction go directly into NMA’s Disaster Relief Mini Grants which are eligible to all NMA members.
4:00pm – 5:00pm
Break
5:00pm – 8:00pm
Closing Event and Dinner
Silent Auction Winners will be announced, must be present to win.
During the evening event, NMA welcomes local Alliance historian Becky Herian who will present “Antioch; a Potash Boom Town.” Over the years, Becky has researched the ruins and history of the Potash Plants in Antioch, Nebraska. She has compiled a wealth of information about the years when the potash plants were booming and the history of the citizens and businesses who resided there. Join us for a look back on local history and the ruins left behind.
Thank you all for attending the 2025 NMA Conference. We’re already looking forward to seeing you all again next year in Beatrice, Nebraska for the 2026 NMA Conference, hosted by the Gage County Historical Society and Museum. Safe travels and thank you again!