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Texas Association of Museums Annual Conference
March 18 – 20, 2009
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 In March, El Paso will host the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Texas Association of Museums (TAM). This is the first time in almost 30 years that El Paso has been host to the annual meeting. The conference draws museum professionals, trustees, and volunteers from throughout Texas and the Southwest. From March 18-20, the Camino Real Hotel will buzz with the activity of concurrent program sessions, workshops, affinity group discussions, and regional group sessions. This year's conference addresses the theme "Breaking Down Barriers - Building Bridges." Attendees will explore ways that museums can identify and embrace their differences and forge new partnerships to better serve their audiences and their communities.
The 2009 Annual Meeting will feature nationally and internationally-recognized speakers. Topics of contemporary relevance range from cultural foreign affairs to challenges of emerging leaders in the museum profession; from collecting standards for museums to navigating bi-cultural collaborations. Among the outstanding speakers are:
| Alberto Fierro, Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, Dirección General de Asuntos Culturales de México |
| Adair Margo, immediate past chair of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, El Paso |
| Diana Natalicio, Ph.D., President of the University of Texas at El Paso |
| Kathy Dwyer Southern, President and CEO of the National Children's Museum, Washington, DC, and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the American Association of Museums |
 Conference attendees will have the opportunity to explore several of El Paso's cultural resources during workshops and in-depth off-site sessions. The El Paso Museum of Archaeology will host a pre-conference symposium focusing on controversial new standards for collecting and exhibiting archaeological materials. At the same time, early arrivals will tour historic Las Cruces and visit the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, Art Museum, and other attractions. Off-site sessions will spotlight the El Paso Zoo, Fort Bliss Museum and Study Center, and the Carlos M. Ramirez TecH2O Water Resources Learning Center. In addition to program sessions, TAM participants will spend their evenings visiting museums.
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For more information about the TAM Annual Meeting and a complete program listing, please visit the TAM website at www.texasmuseums.org or call (915) 532-1707.
The City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department is the primary sponsor of the TAM Annual Meeting.
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