Webinars
Webinars are online discussions, typically lasting 60 to 75 minutes including a Q&A session. During each live webinar, you can use the Q&A and Chat features to type messages and questions to the panelists and other participants. Webinars are recorded so you can re-watch whenever you want.
What is STEPS and Can It Help My Site? - Recorded Webinar
Originally Given September 9, 2026 | 3:00pm ET
Learn about AASLH's STEPS (Standards and Excellence Program for History Organizations) self-assessment program and how participation can benefit your site and staff.
Core Issues Briefing Series - Fall 2026 - Webinar Bundle
October 7 - November 4, 2026 |
Now, more than ever, a constantly evolving landscape is testing the history field. Rather than try to piece together information and tools from disparate sources on topics ranging from workforce challenges to polarization to disaster preparedness, AASLH is now pleased to offer the Core Issues Briefing Series, a set of webinars offering consolidated access to the latest research, insights, and guidance on how to respond to the history sector’s most pressing issues. Join your fellow practitioners for five weeks of once-a-week, hour-long webinars that will help you strengthen your institution, your staff and volunteers, and your programs and services.
Core Issues Briefing Series #1 - Fall 2026 - Engaging Younger Generations at History Organizations - Live Webinar
October 7, 2026 | 3:00pm ET |
An enduring challenge for nearly every history organization or site is engaging younger generations. As debates about history and democracy gain intensity, serving these audiences—which signify the future visitors, donors, history practitioners, voters, policymakers, and civic leaders of our society—becomes even more crucial. Meanwhile, younger generations are hungry for information about “how we got here” to shape their understanding of the past and participation in the present. Luckily, there’s an organization dedicated to strengthening ties between youth and history organizations: Made By Us. Attendees to this webinar will hear directly from Made By Us leadership about research and insights that can help history organizations more effectively appeal to and serve youth audiences.
This webinar is part of AASLH’s Core Issues Briefing Series, which offers consolidated access to the latest research, insights, and guidance on responding to the history sector’s most pressing issues.
Connecting with Teachers and Students through National History Day - Live Webinar
October 8, 2026 | 3 - 4:15PM ET |
Join us for a discussion on working with teachers and students through National History Day and how engagement with NHD can expand your institution’s footprint, fulfill your mission, and provide professional development for staff.
Core Issues Briefing Series #2 - Fall 2026 - Understanding the US History Sector - Live Webinar
October 14, 2026 | 3:00pm ET |
America’s history sector is vast, unique, and vital. Using AASLH’s National Census of History Organizations as a primary foundation, attendees to this webinar will learn the ins and outs of the U.S. history sector—its parameters, key characteristics, and top pain points—as well as insights into audience trends. Attendees will gain information to help strengthen their institutions and make the case for importance of the history community to varied stakeholders.
This webinar is part of AASLH’s Core Issues Briefing Series, which offers consolidated access to the latest research, insights, and guidance on responding to the history sector’s most pressing issues.
Getting Started in Local Advocacy - Live Webinar
October 20, 2026 | 3 - 4:15PM ET |
The history community needs advocacy but often struggles with where to begin. What does advocacy look like for the country’s thousands of small and mid-sized organizations, so often strapped for time, money, staff, and other resources? The answer lies in starting local. Effective advocacy means continual, everyday actions that demonstrate your value and build relationships within your immediate community—in other words, speaking up and proving to your neighbors that you matter. Building on AASLH’s new manual, Speak Up for History: Getting Started in Local Advocacy, this webinar will offer attendees a basic understanding of what local advocacy is and why it matters, ways to translate big ideas into practical and flexible techniques, and concrete examples and tools for getting started.
This webinar is presented as part of AASLH’s new state and local advocacy initiative, Speak Up for History, which offers a hub for concrete tools, guidance, and programming to help practitioners more effectively demonstrate the value of history work to their communities.
Onsite and Virtual Workshops
Workshops are one to two day in-person or virtual training events. We offer several workshops every year in various locations around the country as well as online. Each workshop offers participants a chance to engage in intensive learning and discussion with faculty and classmates.
Deaccessioning Deep Dive - (October 2026) - Virtual Workshop
October 21, 2026 | 1-4 PM ET | Deaccessioning Deep Dive - (October 2026) - Virtual Workshop
Your cabinets are full. History isn’t getting any shorter. Your museum is ready to refine its collection, getting rid of items that don't fit the mission that are draining your site's time, space, and funds. Join this workshop to learn about ethical and appropriate deaccessioning plans.
NAGPRA Essentials for History Organizations (Oct 2026) - Virtual Workshop
October 22, 2026 | 1 - 4 pm ET | NAGPRA Essentials for History Organizations is a half-day virtual workshop for history practitioners and administrators to learn about the principles and practices of the Native American Graves and Repatriation and Act and how it impacts their work.
Basics of Archives Management - (November 2026) - Virtual Workshop
November 18, 2026 | 2-5 PM ET | Basics of Archives Management - (November 2026) - Virtual Workshop
Basics of Fundraising - (November 2026) - Virtual Workshop
November 19, 2026 | 1-4 PM ET | Basics of Fundraising - (November 2026) - Virtual Workshop
Designing History Walking Tours 2027 - Virtual Workshop
February 4, 2027 | 1-4 PM ET |
Join us for an in-depth discussion on developing and delivering effective educational walking tours to take your visitors outside the museum to appreciate historic resources in the world around them.
Reimagining the Historic House Museum in Massachusetts (May 2027) - Onsite Workshop
Gore Place, Waltham, MA | May 20, 2027 | Reimagining the Historic House Museum is an AASLH onsite workshop. This one-day event is designed to offer current thinking, practical information, and solutions to the challenges facing historic sites. The symposium will include presentations by historic house game-changers and local historic site administrators, discussion, historic site visit, and a brainstorming workshop at a historic house museum to try out the new ideas proposed during the symposium.
Instructor-Led Online Courses
Instructor-Led Online Courses are typically between four to eight weeks long. They offer each student a chance to engage deeply with subject material over an extended period of time. Keep on track with regular video chats and other interactions with accessible faculty, and discuss the course material with classmates in online forums.
Introduction to Financial Management (Winter 2027) - Online Course
January 11 - February 7 | Introduction to Financial Management is an AASLH online course. This four-week course, taught by instructor Rebekah Beaulieu, provides an introduction to financial concepts, from understanding expenses and income to how to establish an endowment. Successful completion of this course will earn one credit toward the Small Museum Pro! certificate from AASLH.
Museum Education and Outreach (Winter 2027) - Online Course
January 11 - March 7, 2027 | Museum Education and Outreach is an AASLH online course. This eight-week course, taught by instructor Bethany Hrachovec, teaches participants how they can facilitate visitors’ meaningful and memorable experiences in the informal environments of museums. Successful completion of this course will earn one credit toward the Small Museum Pro! certificate from AASLH.
Collections Management 100 - Collection Development (Winter 2027) - Online Course
January 11 - March 7, 2027| In this course, participants will learn about the general principles underlying the idea of being a “collecting organization,” and how collections support the mission of a museum or history organization. Students will explore the purpose of a Collection Management Policy and how it relates to other core museum documents, create the Foundational Statements and Collection Development sections of their collections management policy and operationalize those components using example objects.
Courses on Demand
AASLH Courses On Demand are online courses designed by history professionals that can be accessed and followed independently at any time. They offer accessible primers on relevant topics that can be completely customized to the student's schedule. Courses share presentations and readings, but do not include mandatory meeting times or instructor or classmate interaction.
Creating Engaging Social Media Content for History Organizations - On-Demand
In our increasingly online world, museums need to start thinking of social media as a program, not just as a marketing tool. In this course, we will learn some of the most effective strategies for engaging your audience on social media.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for History Organizations - On-Demand
For the first time in history, there are multiple generational cohorts in the workforce, and the cultural climate in the workplace has shifted. This course is designed to assist leaders in bringing awareness to cultural differences and backgrounds and train staff on how to celebrate them and work together. In this course, we will discuss what DEI is and to effectively drive it as a culture within your organization.
Program Planning for Nonprofits - On-Demand
In this course, students will be introduced to the Program Planning Cycle. The cycle includes identifying your organization’s needs, target audience, and resources. At the end of the course, students will have a framework to carry out program planning at their own organization, while having evaluated the current programs at their organization along the way.
