We’re very much looking forward to seeing you in County Durham for AIM Conference 2026.
All the information you need to help you get there and make the most of the event is below.
This page also includes details of how you can pre-book for the conference Masterclasses and breakout tours – please note, pre-booking for these events is essential.
Getting there
Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens (for the conference)
Take a look at the directions on the Ushaw website for information on how to get to the conference venue: https://ushaw.org/plan-your-visit/#getting-here
For SatNav’s – use postcode DH7 7DW. This will take you to the main visitor entrance. (Please note, some GPS systems will take you to the wrong location when using the postcode DH7 9RH or typing the old name – Ushaw College).
To find the visitor car park you can also use What3Words: ///prettiest.bookshop.basic
Beamish (for the social events)
For directions to Beamish, take a look at this information on the museum website: https://www.beamish.org.uk/plan-visit/
Registration
Registration will open from 9.30am – 10am on Wednesday 10 June at The Refectory in the main building at Ushaw Historic, House, Chapels and Gardens.
And on Thursday 11 June, registration will be open from 9am – 9.30am in the same place.
Masterclasses – pre-book your place
These 90-minute sessions will be interactive and will give you access to experts in their field where you can bring your challenges and get support and advice.
If you’d like to attend any of the masterclasses taking place on Wednesday and/or Thursday, you’ll need to pre-book your space. Places are limited and offered on a first come first served basis. Please note, these classes do take place over the lunch break, but you will have a chance to get something to eat after your class.
Wednesday 10 June 11.30am – 1pm
- Interpretation on a shoestring – Ruth McKew, Headland Design – FULLY BOOKED
We know the dilemma. Tired museum displays don’t look good, but new exhibitions require investment. What’s possible with small (or no) budgets? Grounded in research for the Welsh Government, this hands-on session tackles the real problems museums face. We’ll consider solutions for immediate improvements, smarter use of small grants, and a strategic approach to building captivating interpretation, all on a shoestring.
This Masterclass is now fully booked.
- Technology clinic for small museums – Rod Barlow, CEO, Rod Barlow Consulting – FULLY BOOKED
In this interactive session, delegates will pick up hints and tips in utilising inexpensive technology tools to make processes simpler, deliver a better quality experience for visitors and help keep information safe. Topics that will be covered include maximising the use of Microsoft 365, information security, obtaining free and discounted software, as well as a simple practical guide to AI. There will also be time for delegates to pose technology queries or issues to the experts. This interactive session is designed for small museums or any museum responsible for implementing and supporting computerised technology.
This Masterclass is now fully booked.
3. Beyond the label: Connecting museum visits with digital interpretation – Cheryl Kwok, EMEA Onboarding and Relationship Management Lead, Bloomberg Connects, Esther White, Bloomberg Team Lead, Manahil Waseem, Collections Content and Support Officer, Art UK – FULLY BOOKED
This masterclass explores how museums can use digital tools to enrich visitor journeys without detracting from the onsite experience. In particular, we will examine how to tell the stories of your institution and collections through layered interpretation — combining text, images, audio, and video — to support diverse visitor engagement styles and needs, ultimately encouraging discovery and meaningful engagement.
This Masterclass is now fully booked.
Thursday 11 June 12.20pm – 1.50pm
4. Employment law shake up: What museums need to know – Sarah Furness, Employment Law & HR, Hay & Kilner
How do proposed employment law reforms affect museum operations? The team at Hay & Kilner outline the key reforms and their implications and offer guidance on how to avoid tribunal claims by way of case studies which will be illustrated via practical demonstrations. Discover how to manage any risk and turn legal change into an opportunity.
Click here to book your place (opens in a new tab)5. What museum professionals need to know about commercial contracts – Celia Lloyd Davidson, Legal Director, Boodle Hatfield LLP
This session provides an overview of key risks in commercial contracts – red flag issues to look out for, sector specific considerations, and key updates from a legal perspective – all tailored to the museums sector.
Click here to book your place (opens in a new tab)Breakout tours – pre-book your place
If you’d like to take part in any of the below breakout tours, please do book your place in advance.
- Ushaw House and Chapels tour
Step inside centuries of history on a guided House & Chapels Tour at Ushaw. Wander through magnificent rooms, discover hidden stories and experience the quiet grandeur of Ushaw’s awe-inspiring chapels.
Ushaw’s story spans more than 450 years. Its origins lie in the upheaval of the Reformation, when an English Catholic college was founded in Douai in 1568. Forced to flee during the French Revolution, the college returned to England and eventually settled at Ushaw in 1808. Over the next century, an extraordinary complex of buildings grew up around the original Georgian house and represent some of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in the country, including the largest collection of work by four generations of the Pugin family.
1pm Wednesday 10 June – click here to book (opens in a new tab) 11.15am Thursday 11 June – click here to book (opens in a new tab) 1.50pm Thursday 11 June – click here to book (opens in a new tab)The tour at 3pm on Wednesday is fully booked.
2. Treasures of Ushaw: a library experience – FULLY BOOKED
Enjoy special access to the magnificent Big Library, a breathtaking space designed by Joseph Hansom, followed by a curated viewing of up to 20 fascinating books and archival treasures. You’ll discover pieces rarely seen by the public, each with its own story to tell.
Ushaw’s Library contains over 50,000 books together with a wealth of archive material relating to their history, architectural design and alumni. Important holdings within the Library include the Nuremburg Chronicle of 1493, Isaac Newton’s Principia Mathematica and a first edition of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species.
Please note: due to the historic nature of the building, the Big Library is reached via 40 wide, shallow steps. Ushaw is actively working to improve accessibility and appreciate your understanding.
All of the library tours are fully booked.
Wellness – pre-book your place
- Energising yoga with Stephen
1pm Wednesday 10 June
A practical and accessible yoga session designed to leave participants feeling refreshed, focused, and re-energised for the remainder of the conference. The session combines mindful movement, breathing techniques, simple balance and strength postures, and guided awareness practices. Participants can work at their own level, although a reasonable degree of physical mobility is recommended as the class involves getting up and down from the floor and holding standing postures for short periods.
- Suitable for: Most active adults with reasonable mobility.
- Not suitable for: Anyone with injuries or conditions that significantly limit standing, balance, or floor based movement.
- Please ensure you wear something comfortable and non-restrictive to help you get the most out of this session.
Please meet at the entrance to the Library Corridor.
Click here to book your place (opens in a new tab)2. Sound bath with Stephen – FULLY BOOKED
3pm Wednesday 10 June
An opportunity to deeply relax and switch off from the demands of the day. Participants simply lie comfortably on a yoga mat while being immersed in the sounds and vibrations of crystal singing bowls and other therapeutic instruments. Many people describe the experience as calming, restorative, and deeply restful.
- Suitable for: Most adults.
Not recommended for:
- Individuals with sound induced epilepsy
- Anyone currently experiencing severe mental health distress or psychosis
- People with significant sound sensitivity
- Those in the first trimester of pregnancy (participants who are pregnant should seek medical advice if unsure).
- Please ensure you wear comfortable clothing.
Please meet at the entrance to the Library Corridor.
This wellness session is now fully booked.
3. Mindfulness walk with Stephen
11.15am Thursday 11 June
A guided mindful walk through the beautiful grounds of Ushaw. Participants will be encouraged to slow down, engage their senses, and explore simple mindfulness practices while walking. The session combines gentle movement, reflection, and practical techniques that can be applied to everyday life to help manage stress and improve focus.
- Suitable for: All fitness levels able to comfortably walk at a gentle pace outdoors.
- Requirements: Appropriate footwear and weather suitable clothing.
Please meet at the entrance to the Library Corridor.
Click here to book your place (opens in a new tab)4. Gentle mobility yoga with Julie
1.50pm Thursday 11 June
A slower paced yoga session focused on mobility, flexibility, balance, and relaxation. Julie creates a welcoming environment suitable for all experience levels, including complete beginners and older adults. The session is designed to help release tension from sitting, improve movement quality, and provide a calm reset during the conference day.
- Suitable for: Beginners, older adults, and most mobility levels.
- Requirements: Participants should be able to comfortably get up and down from the floor independently.
- Please ensure you wear something comfortable and non-restrictive to help you get the most out of this session.
Please meet at the entrance to the Library Corridor.
Click here to book your place (opens in a new tab)Pre- / Post-conference visits to Beamish
Free admission Tuesday 9 and Friday 12 June
Delegates from the AIM Conference will get free admission for a daytime visit to Beamish between 9-12 June, and will also get 10% discount on catering and retail purchases made during their visit.
To redeem your free visit, just show your delegate badge. If you’re visiting Beamish before Conference and won’t have your badge, there will be a list of all AIM Conference delegates at the entrance at Beamish, so when you arrive tell them you’re part of AIM Conference.
These visits to Beamish are an optional element of the conference programme, taking place outside of the rest of the conference programme. You will need to make your own way to and from Beamish. Uber and local taxi companies are available between Durham city centre, Ushaw and Beamish to get you there if you won’t be driving.
Tours Tuesday 9 June
- Behind the scenes small objects tour
1.30pm, 2.30pm, and 3.30pm, and will last approximately 45 minutes.
Beamish’s Head of Collections will be leading behind-the-scenes tours of the museum’s main small object stores. He will be discussing the trials and tribulations of managing 3 million objects in an open air museum setting, sharing learnings from an unselective contemporary collecting project, and giving updates on development of the latest iteration of the publicly accessible Open Store exhibit.
Please meet at the Home Farm tram stop and be ready to leave no later than 5 minutes before the start of the tour. Any latecomers will not be able to join the tour after the group has departed.
Please check on Beamish’s website for full accessibility information: How Accessible is Beamish Museum? – Beamish Museum
1.30pm Tuesday 9 June – click here to book (opens in a new tab) 2.30pm Tuesday 9 June – click here to book (opens in a new tab)The tour at 3.30pm is now fully booked.
Tours Friday 12 June
2. 1950s Spain’s Field Farm tour
10.30am, 11.30am, and 12.30pm, and will last approximately 45 minutes.
Beamish’s Senior Curator of Rural Life will be leading guided tours of the museum’s 1950s Spain’s Field Farm exhibit. He will share insights into the stone-by-stone translocation of the building, engagement work undertaken with past residents of the farm, and our approach to balancing accessibility with authenticity in a historic building.
Please meet at the Home Farm tram stop and be ready to leave no later than 5 minutes before the start of the tour. Any latecomers will not be able to join the tour after the group has departed.
Please note access to Spain’s Field Farm is via a wide path with uneven surfaces and loose stone. Please check on Beamish’s website for full accessibility information: How Accessible is Beamish Museum? – Beamish Museum
Specific information about Spain’s Field Farm can be found in their Access Guide: bloom-digital.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/beamish/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/28130757/August-2023-Access-Guide.pdf
10.30am Friday 12 June – click here to book (opens in a new tab) 11.30am Friday 12 June – click here to book (opens in a new tab) 12.30pm Friday 12 June – click here to book (opens in a new tab)3. Museums as ‘Simply Acres of Nostalgia’
11am and 2pm
PhD Student and former Beamish Community Participation Officer Natasha Anson will share insights into the relationship between museums and various forms of nostalgia. Drawing on her PhD research (‘Simply Acres of Nostalgia’? Open Air Museums and the Politics of Heritage) and a collaborative project entitled The Miners’ Strike from the Margins which asked ‘how do you think about the future when all that exists is the past?’, she will explore how museums got here, and how we might move forward differently.
Please go to the Welfare Hall, where the talk will take place.
11am Friday 12 June – click here to book (opens in a new tab) 2pm Friday 12 June – click here to book (opens in a new tab)Coach timetable
We will be providing coaches for travel to the conference from central Durham and for travel after the social on Tuesday evening and to and from the social on Wednesday evening.
Tuesday 9 June:
From Beamish to conference hotels:
21:10 Depart Beamish for Ushaw main bus stop / Radisson Blu (for both Radisson Blu and Premier Inn) / Marriot / Travelodge.
We’re asking anyone attending the Tuesday evening social at Beamish to make their own way there as delegates will be arriving at various points throughout the day for a visit to the site, or for the pre-booked tours. The Coffee Pot Cafe at the entrance to Beamish will also be open between the site closing and the social starting.
Uber and local taxi companies are available between Durham city centre, Ushaw and Beamish to get you to the evening social.
Wednesday 10 June:
Pick up times to get to Ushaw:
09:00 Radisson Blu (for both Radisson and Premier Inn)
09:05 Marriot
09:10 Travelodge
Departure time back to hotels:
17:10 Depart Ushaw for Travelodge / Marriot / Radisson Blu (for both Radisson and Premier Inn)
Collection times for the evening social:
17:50 Ushaw main bus stop
18:05 Radisson Blu (for both Radisson and Premier Inn)
18:10 Marriot
18:15 Travelodge
Please note the coach timings to go to the Wednesday social at Beamish are incorrect in the handbook. These are the correct timings.
From Beamish to conference hotels:
22:10 Depart Beamish for Ushaw / Radisson Blu (for Radisson Blu and Premier Inn) / Marriot / Travelodge.
Thursday 11 June:
Pick up times to get to Ushaw:
09:00 Radisson Blu (for both Radisson and Premier Inn)
09:05 Marriot
09:10 Travelodge
Departure time to Durham station:
16:10 Depart Ushaw main bus stop for Durham station.
Getting the most out of conference
Catching up with colleagues and friends from across the sector and networking with other museum professionals is a key part of AIM Conference. Take a look at the delegate listing so you know who else is attending.
Click here to download the delegate listing (opens in a new tab)The delegate handbook will be available at Reception on your arrival at AIM Conference, or you can download a copy at the link below:
Click here to download the delegate handbook (opens in a new tab)And if you haven’t been to AIM Conference before, we’ll be hosting a welcome for those attending for the first time on Wednesday morning so you’ll have a chance to meet other newbies.
AIM AGM
The AIM Annual General meeting will be taking place at 11am on Wednesday 10 June. All AIM members are invited to attend and you can click here for the agenda and associated papers.
Please note, we’ll be using Mentimeter to take the register and votes, although paper options will be available if you don’t have a smartphone / access to the internet.
Filming and photography
Please note, the AIM team will be taking photographs during the day and evening social events. If you do not wish to be featured, please do tell a member of the AIM team.
Code of conduct
At AIM, we believe our events should be open to everyone, so we are committed to creating a friendly, safe, and welcoming environment for all. This way, we can have thought-provoking conversations. As an event participant, please be mindful to keep things positive and supportive. We do not tolerate any form of bullying, discrimination, or bad behaviour. If you see or experience a problem at an AIM event, please speak to one of the AIM team. Responses may include warnings, removal from the event, or further escalation if necessary.
Tuesday evening social
6pm – 9pm, Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
Enjoy a drink and Georgian-inspired canapes at the new Drovers Tavern, while being entertained by traditional music. Explore the beautiful landscape including 1820s Pockerley Old Hall and gardens, pottery, and St Helen’s Church.
We’re asking anyone attending the Tuesday evening social at Beamish to make their own way there as delegates will be arriving at various points throughout the day for a visit to the site, or for the pre-booked tours.
The Coffee Pot Cafe at the entrance to Beamish will also be open between the site closing and the social starting.
Uber and local taxi companies are available between Durham city centre, Ushaw and Beamish to get you to the evening social.
At the end of the evening, the coaches will leave Beamish at 21:10 to drop off at Ushaw main bus stop, Radisson Blu (for both Radisson Blu and Premier Inn), Marriot and Travelodge.
Wednesday evening social
7pm – 10pm, Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
Ride vintage transport to enjoy an evening in Beamish’s 1900s and 1950s Towns.
Go to the 1950s welfare hall for a complimentary drink, where you can answer questions in our 1950s quiz; plus hear music from Bill Elliott’s folk band; view film footage from the 1950s in the Grand cinema and purchase a traditional toy from Romer Parrish’s shop.
Watch sweet making demonstrations in Jubilee Confectioners; listen to a talk at the 1900s garage; sing along to old time music hall songs in the Masonic Hall; step into the photographers’ for an Edwardian photo; hear a medley of tunes from across the eras with a brass band in The 1900s Town park bandstand and brave the 1900s dentist at Ravensworth Terrace.
And feel free to dress for the occasion in your finest vintage!
Coach travel to and from central Durham to the social at Beamish on Wednesday evening will be provided. The coach pick up times are:
17:50 Ushaw main bus stop
18:05 Radison Hotel (for both Radisson and Premier Inn)
18:10 Marriot
18:15 Travelodge
And the coaches for travel back to the hotels will leave Beamish at 22:10.
Please note the coach timings to go to the Wednesday social at Beamish are incorrect in the handbook. These are the correct timings.
Co-curated art workshop
Throughout the conference artist Betty Barnet Brown will have a workshop open for you to drop in and participate in our co-created artwork. Under Betty’s expert guidance, you will design a template that represents your organisation and cut this shape out of fabric.
Fabric will be supplied, but you may like to bring your own with you – something that holds resonance with your organisation to become part of a banner that will commemorate the AIM Conference.
A note of reassurance – the stitching doesn’t need to be expertly done: we will regard the use of stitch as a form of mark-making, in the way that drawing is regarded as such, so neatness and precision are not necessary. Betty is very experienced in designing sessions that are accessible whatever your ability or experience of the techniques involved, it is her workshop superpower so you are in safe hands.