From October 11-13, 2026, Vilnius will become a gathering point for one of Europe’s most significant international museum conferences – the 2026 NEMO European Museum Conference. The event will bring together museum leaders and cultural professionals from more than 30 countries for a far-reaching conversation about the role museums play in an age shaped by rapid technological change and artificial intelligence.

This year’s conference theme – “Human after all – Museums in the wake of AI” – reflects a question echoing across cultural institutions throughout Europe: how can museums remain deeply human spaces while navigating the accelerating influence of digital systems and machine intelligence?

Across the three-day program, participants will examine how artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and sweeping digital transformations are reshaping museum practice, audience engagement, access to culture, and public trust in institutions. The discussions are expected to move between practical concerns and larger philosophical ones, tracing how museums adapt without losing the sense of memory, curiosity, and shared experience that has long defined them.

The conference is jointly organized by NEMO – the Network of European Museum Organisations, the Lithuanian Museums Association, and the National Museum of Lithuania. The event is funded by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, the Lithuanian Council for Culture, and the European Union. Partners include Go Vilnius, the Lithuanian National Museum of Art, the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, and Vilnius UNESCO City of Literature. The cultural program is supported by the MO Museum, the Vilnius Museum, and the Vilnius University Museum.

Hosting the international conference in Vilnius is expected to significantly strengthen the visibility of Lithuania’s museum sector across Europe, encourage new forms of international collaboration, and provide Lithuanian museum professionals with an opportunity to engage directly in some of the most pressing conversations shaping the European museum landscape today.

The conference program, speakers, and registration details will be announced in June 2026.

For more information: click here.