In July, Ken Turino and I will be leading the one-day Reimagining the Historic House Museum workshop on Friday, July 10, 2026, at Belle Meade Historic Site & Winery in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s designed specifically for people working at house museums and historic sites who are wrestling with familiar questions: How do we refresh our programs? Attract new audiences? And build a more sustainable future without losing what makes our site special? Registration is $225 for AASLH members and $350 for nonmembers.

The day combines current social and economic research with practical tools drawn from nonprofit management and business strategy. Participants conduct a holistic assessment of public programs, explore examples of sites that are successfully reinventing themselves, and take part in a facilitated brainstorming session that puts new ideas into practice using a real house museum as a case study.

The opportunities for historic sites are substantial: clarifying a site’s unique value, experimenting with creative interpretation, and strengthening community partnerships can expand impact and revenue. The threats—aging audiences, rising costs, and uncertainty about new approaches—are just as pressing. For museum leaders, the next steps are actionable: review existing programs with fresh eyes, test small pilot projects, use strategic frameworks to guide decisions, and invite staff, volunteers, and community voices into planning. More details are available at https://learn.aaslh.org/products/reimagining-the-historic-house-museum-in-nashville-july-2026-onsite-workshop.