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Lessons from the ABBA experience: Museums + Heritage Show programme revealed

The programme for the sector’s largest event, now in its 31st year, has been revealed as registration opens

The line-up of this year’s Museums + Heritage Show has been announced today. Already, almost 40 talks are confirmed for the May event, with more to be announced in the coming weeks.

This year’s show will have a focus on the themes of community engagement, alongside digital transformation, partnerships and co-curation.

Returning to Olympia London on 10-11 May 2023, the Show’s schedule is filled with sessions led by speakers from across the sector, an array of exhibitors, and further opportunities to network in groups and one-to-one.

This year’s show programme has been built in collaboration with the sector, after a call-out for speakers and ideas late last year.

Among the line-up of speakers already confirmed is Richard Neville, Venue and Event Operations Management at The ABBA Experience.

Neville will explore the build and development of visitor services teams in the live events industry, and how these ideas and themes can be shared into the museums and heritage sector.

He will share stories and tips from his time working on the likes of ABBA Voyage, BBC Earth Experience, and Hyde Park Winter Wonderland.

Those hoping to attend this year can now see a full list of sessions on the Museums + Heritage Show website.

The line-up of speakers for this year’s event includes:

Alistair Brown, Head of Museums, Libraries and Archives Policy, National Lottery Heritage Fund
Andy Povey, Convious and Kelly Molson, Rubber Cheese
Beth Morafon, Association for Heritage Interpretation and Iona Keen, SS Great Britain Trust
Daniel Oledzki and Nicholas Thorp, The Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret
Ellie King and Ellie Grillo or Kelly Richards, Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Hampshire Cultural Trust, Ubisoft, Sugar Creative and Sarner International Ltd
Ian Milsted and Meg Barclay, York Archaeological Trust
Dr Jamie Gallagher, Specialist in Engagement, Evaluation & Impact
Jenny Williams, Take the Space Training
Jodie Lees, General Manager, Children’s Country House at Sudbury, National Trust
John Boulding, CMO, Vox Group
Ken Bullock, Advanced
Kim Hudson, Council for Learning Outside the Classroom
Kristīne Apsīte, Groglass
Liz Johnson, Arts Council
Louise McAward-White, Fair Museum Jobs
Martin Devereux, Digitisation.IO, Paul Negus, Negus and Spencer Clark, ATS Heritage
Michelle Kindleysides and Beth Maston, Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
Richard Neville, Venue and Event Operations Management, The ABBA Experience
Richard Sandell, RCMG, Robert Taylor, acclaimed portrait photographer and Matthew Storey, Historic Royal Palaces
Robert Capping, CEO and Founder, The Shipping Monster
Ross Williams, Head of Operations & Partnerships, Beyonk
Dr Sadia Habib, Manchester Museum and Richard O’Neill, performance storyteller, author and playwright
Sam Bowen, SEND in Museums campaigner
Sarah Brown, Deputy Director, Collections Trust
Sarah Holloway and Liam Montgomery, Heritage Open Days (National Trust), Laura Coughlin and Hailey Baxter, Headstone Manor Museum
Professor Will Saunders, Royal Holloway University Creative Lead, StoryTrails
Sheldon Paquin, Science Museum Group
Dr Sarah Plumb, Research Centre for Museums & Galleries University of Leicester, Christopher Samuel, Artist and Dr Heather Smith, National Trust
Stephen Spencer, Ambience Director, Stephen Spencer + Associates
Trish Thomas, Head of Digital Innovation, Museum of London
Victoria Ryves, GLAM Cares

Registration for the Museums + Heritage Show is now open. Book your free place here.