Reimagining Research in and with City Museums

London Museum Docklands
27-29 January 2027

Organised in partnership with London Museum, University of Westminster, and ICOM CITIES
ICOM SAREC 2026-27 Special Project, with additional support from ICOM SOMUS and ICOM UK

As cities face unprecedented social, environmental, and political challenges, museums must critically reflect on and expand their research practices to remain relevant and responsive. This conference examines how interdisciplinary, intersectoral museological and urban research meets the spatial, social, and political dynamics of contemporary cities.

By positioning city museums as sites of urban knowledge production, this convening aims to challenge conventional understandings of museum research. How do city museums act as generators of and platforms for urban inquiry, cultivating research practices responsive to complex urban challenges while maintaining rigorous scholarly and professional standards?

We seek to explore how city museums can:

• Develop innovative and context-sensitive research methodologies
• Engage with complex urban realities and multiple knowledge systems
• Collaborate with researchers, communities, and policy-makers to reflect rapidly changing urban environments
• Actively contribute to civic and intellectual life

After a welcome drinks reception at the University of Westminster, Regent Street building on 27 January, the main conference will take place 28-29 January at London Museum Docklands. The programme will include keynotes, submitted paper presentations, and collaborative discussions. There will also be opportunities to visit the new London Museum Smithfields site.

Full conference programme announcement coming soon. Conference registration open now on London Museum website!

Click here to register: https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/reimagining-research-conference/

Early bird registration rate for 2-day, fully catered event is £125

For questions about the conference, please contact  researchcitymuseumsconf2027 [at] gmail.com.

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Conference Organising Leads

Glyn Davies, Head of Curatorial, London Museum
Alison Hess, Lecturer in Museum and Gallery Studies, University of Westminster
Glenn Perkins, Curator of Community History, Greensboro History Museum, NC USA & Chair, ICOM CITIES
Elena Pérez Rubiales, Àrea de direcció, Museu d’Història de Barcelona & Board Member ICOM CITIES

With invaluable support from Kirsty Lacquian Kerr, Collections Operations Coordinator (Curatorial), London Museum

Conference Advisory Committee

Emma van Bijnen, Coordinator AMResearch & Head of publications and research, Amsterdam Museum
Bruno Brulon Soares, Reader in Museum and Heritage Studies, St. Andrews University & Chair, ICOM SOMUS
Alexandra Fletcher, Lecturer in the School of the Human Environment, University College Cork, Ireland
David Gilbert, Professor of Urban and Historical Geography, Royal Holloway, University of London
Maja Jovic, Assistant Head of School Architecture and Cities, University of Westminster
David Littlefield, Senior Lecturer Architecture and Cities, University of Westminster
David Pantalony, Curator, Science and Medicine, Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation
Xavier de la Selle, Director, Musée Gadagne in Lyon, France
Domenico Sergi, Keeper of Oceania, Africa and the Americas, British Museum

Additional review support from ICOM CITIES Board Members Elif Çiğdem Artan, Andréa Cristina Delaplace, and Johanna Vähäpesola

Image courtesy London Museum: General Market – Past Time (c) Secchi Smith