The British Association of Friends of Museums’ 53rd Conference and AGM 2026
Bargate Southampton; see it when you attend the Conference 2026
In partnership with the Friends of Southampton’s Museums, Archives and Galleries
Friday 2nd – Sunday 4th October 2026
Conference theme: Partnership Working
We are looking forward to welcoming you to Southampton, a historic maritime city, gateway to the world and home to a public art gallery of pre-eminent national significance
Friday 2nd October
2.00 – 4.00 pm: Delegates may collect their conference packs from the City Art Gallery foyer in the Civic Centre north block 7.00 pm: A historic tour of God’s House Tower (a 15th century artillery fort, now an art gallery managed by aspace), and a tour
of the current exhibition Lady Kitt followed by a wine reception at a cost of £15 per head.
Saturday 3rd October
10.00 am – 5.30 pm: Conference and AGM held at the City Art Gallery lecture theatre, Civic Centre north block
6.30 pm: Drinks reception and three-course dinner at The Novotel Hotel. The after-dinner speaker will be art historian Dr Anne Anderson
Sunday 4th October
10.00 am: A guided tour of historic Southampton with Blue Badge guide and dowsing archaeologist Don Bryan at a cost of £8 per person
Other attractions include SeaCity Museum, Tudor House, John Hansard Gallery, Solent Skies Museum and Gods House Tower as well as the City Art Gallery
Accommodation: The Novotel Hotel, 1 West Quay Road SO15 1RA, 02381 072800, is offering a special rate to conference delegates for bed and breakfast. Other hotels include The Ibis Hotel, The Leonardo Hotel, Travelodge, Premier Inn
All hotels include parking some of which require payment. Other multi-storey car parks and on-street parking are close to the Civic Centre conference venue
Conference BOOKING FORM and FULL PROGRAMME are available in two formats here:
Booking form & Programme (docx). , Booking Form & Programme (pdf)