International views . . .

The International Congress of Maritime Museums (ICMM), the world’s peak body for maritime museums, holds a biennial Congress. Covid interrupted the usual cycle in 2021, but the postponed Congress was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in September 2022, the year which also marked ICMM’s 50th anniversary.

After the Covid halt to travel and so much more, there was real anticipation about getting together again with museum colleagues from around the world. The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax was host to more than 130 delegates from 32 countries. The week-long Congress program was wide-ranging with each day focused on a theme.

One of the most stimulating speakers was Paddy Rogers, Director and CEO of Royal Museums Greenwich, UK, who gave a Keynote address under the intriguing title My ship of private choices, on our common ocean of needs; how can I navigate safe passage for all. You can watch that Keynote here.

There were many other interesting papers presented at the Congress. To select just five;

Anya Waite, from the Ocean Frontier Institute, presented another Keynote on Understanding there critical necessity to protect our oceans.

Dan Conlin, from the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, told the grim story of SS St. Louis: Ship of Fate.

Your ASHonline Editor responded to the challenge The best place for a tall ship is on the high seas?

ICMM’s President and CEO of SS Great Britain Trust, Matthew Tanner, responded to another challenge with a Keynote titled Relevance of Maritime Museums in the 21st Century – A story to tell with ships?

The Director of Het Scheepvaartmuseum, the National Maritime Musem in Amsterdam, looked forward to 2030 in his paper Becoming an Eco-positive National Maritime Museum in 2030.

You can browse other presentations from the Congress here.