May 29^th 2025 7-9PM
The Hong Kong Harvard Square
1238 Mass Ave., Cambridge MA 02138

“How can museums evolve — not just to survive today’s crises, but to become more vital, imaginative, and connected tomorrow?”

Museums are navigating uncertain times — but they’re not doing it alone. Join us on 29 May in Cambridge for an evening of open conversation, global inspiration, and good company as the Future Museum cohort meets local cultural leaders. Together, we’ll swap ideas, stories, and maybe even a few “aha!” moments over drinks.

Participating institutions include peers from 14 countries, such as:

 Peabody Essex Museum, ArtScience Museum Singapore, Musea Brugge, Swarovski Crystall Worlds, Museums Victoria, mumok – Museum of Modern Art, Serlachius Museums, Heureka, and many more.

👉 Space is limited so please register today:

Bring your ideas. Bring your questions. Bring your curiosity. And raise a glass with museum thinkers from around the world.

Participating Institutions:

• Peabody Essex Museum (US)
• Musea Brugge (BE)
• The Bata Shoe Museum Foundation (CA)
• ArtScience Museum (SG)
• mumok – Museum of Modern Art (AT)
• Powerhouse (AU)
• Museums Victoria (AU)
• South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology (IT)
• Perlan – Wonders of Iceland (IS)
• Heureka Science Center (FI)
• Stockholm Medieval Museum (SE)
• Lithuanian National Museum of Art (LT)
• McCord Stewart Museum (CA)
• DIA – Detroit Institute of Arts (US)
• Driehaus Museum (US)
• Erasmus University (NL)
• Air and Space Museum (FR)
• Union Station Kansas City, Inc. (US)
• Institute for Learning Innovation (US)
• Serlachius Museums (FI)
• Swarovski Kristallwelten  (AT)
• Universum Bremen (AT)
• Science Centre AHHAA (EE)
• MUSEUM BOOSTER (AT)

Museums and Healthcare, Part Two

The amazing Tegan Kehoe has invited us to the MGH museum to continue our discussion on the role of museums in healthcare. The doors will open at 5:45 and a tour of the museum and the Ether Dome will go from 6 to 7, after which we’ll head across the street for dinner.

We were thinking about going across the street to either Seoul (which served us well when we were at the Otis House and there was a game gumming up all the bars) or Hulun Beir, one of Kellian’s favorite hotpot places- amazing food but no drinks.

Any thoughts??

See you there!!

Ed and Kellian

November Drinking About Museums @ Otis House!

Thursday, November 21, 2019
6:30PM – 9:30PM

6:30 for the tour
7:30 for food and drink

West End Adventure awaits!

This month we’ll be continuing our historic house visits with a backstage tour of the Otis House Museum, conveniently located near MGH and the Charles Red Line stop! Come visit one of the oldest surviving buildings in the West End. We’ll gather at 6:30 and head off to eat and drink around 7:30.

With a special treat!
But wait! There’s more! The Museum has just installed two original Joseph Blackburn paintings of James and Ruth Otis in the Otis House dining room. James was a firebrand revolutionary, and Ruth was a staunch Tory, so there’s probably a couple of good relationship drama stories to be learned!

Hope to see you there!
Ed & Kellian

We’ve migrated our focus over to the Facebook group due to popular demand. If you’re not already a member of our FB group, head over to the Facebook event page and join up!

Go to the Facebook event

October Drinking About Museums @ Eustis Estate!

Tuesday, October 22, 2019
6:30PM – 9:30PM

6:30 for the tour
7:30 for food and drink

The Eustis Estate
1424 Canton Ave, Milton, MA 02186-2418

Hey guys! So we’re revealing our mystery location— The Eustis Estate!

The Eustis Estate is one of Historic New England’s latest museums to open to the public, it only became part of the organization in 2012. Before that point it was occupied by three generations of one family, leaving almost all original parts of this gorgeous 1878 Aesthetic Movement home in tact.

Historic New England chose to refurbish this impeccable house with accurate, usable reproductions of pieces that might have lived in the home- meaning you can sit in the chairs, read the books and walk around freely.

After taking a tour of the place and learning the ins and outs from the fantastic Karla Rosenstein, we’ll head to Steele and Rye.

Ping us on Facebook if you’d like to carpool. We’re gathering a car list.
Go to the Facebook event

Next Drinking About Museums: Boston
#TakingRisks Edition
Tuesday, January 29th, 6PM

The weather outside might be frightful, but at the bar, it’s so delightful! Especially if you spend it with your museum friends, and new friends! And this month, we’ve got another great special guest, Hillary Spencer, coming to join us. So, mark your calendars, brave the elements, and join us at the Hong Kong next Tuesday!

Hillary Spencer is the Director of Nomad Exhibitions. Hillary recently left the American Museum of Natural History to open the US office of Nomad. She has been moderating conversations on risk and leadership while developing a new business strategy for traveling exhibitions. She’s an alum of the Getty Leadership Institute Next Gen program, and a tireless champion for museums taking more risks.

What is #takingrisks?

The act of risk taking is of increasing importance in both our professional and personal lives. Taking risks on an institutional level requires not only personal vision, but also institutional support. Risk can small and quiet, or it can be loud and dramatic. What risks are you willing to take?

Hong Kong Restaurant
1238 Mass Ave
Cambridge MA 02138

Come join us and we’ll have a lively discussion with Hillary and your colleagues and try to get a bit more fearless!

P.S. If you’re just seeing this now, it might mean you’re not on the mailing list. Sign up here!

 

Come say hello/goodbye!

It’s that time again! Time to brave the cold and practice your holiday small talk! We’ll have not one, but TWO great reasons to come this month!

Say Hello to David!

I’m pleased as punch to announce that David Nuñez from the MIT Museum has joined me as your Drinking About Museums co-instigator for 2019! He’s got ideas for the future of DAM, and would love to hear yours!

 

 

Say Goodbye to Lauren!

I’m also happy/sad to announce that Lauren Vargas is moving to London to take a position with the One by One project in the UK to help build digitally confident museums! Let’s give her a great send off!

 

 

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Hong Kong Restaurant,
Harvard Square, Cambridge
Wednesday, December 12th, 6:30PM