Museums Alaska: 2026 Conference

Polly McKenna-Cress is a leader in the museum field with more than 35+ years of experience in exhibition design, interpretation, and both formal and informal education. Her work is grounded in civic-minded, socially responsible creative practices and emphasizes meaningful community engagement at local and international levels.

She has managed and collaborated on more than 60 exhibitions worldwide and spent over 25 years as an Associate Professor, where she provided academic leadership and mentored students across multiple disciplines. An accomplished author, lecturer, and workshop facilitator, McKenna-Cress is widely recognized for her contributions to the field.

Her international work includes presenting papers and leading workshops in the United Kingdom, Colombia, Poland, China, and Argentina. She is also a frequent speaker at national museum conferences and has served on numerous professional boards.

In 2019, she was awarded a Fulbright Specialist appointment, collaborating with the Maloka Interactive Center in Bogotá, Colombia. She serves on the Senior Fellowship team at Drexel University’s Lenfest Center for Cultural Partnerships and has been a faculty member in Drexel’s Museum Leadership graduate program for over six years. She was also a Noyce Leadership Fellow (2014–2015).

McKenna-Cress is co-author of “Creating Exhibitions: Collaboration in Planning, Development, and Design of Interpretive Experiences” (Wiley, 2013; Mandarin translation, Fudan University Press, 2019), a widely influential text in the field.

For the past 5+ years she has been the Revenue Liaison for the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. She is currently based in Philadelphia and focusing her time as Principal at Alusiv, Inc., a branding, communication, and exhibition design firm and consulting in the field for multiple clients.

KEYNOTE

Sharing Stories, Shaping Practice: Learning Together

Together, we will explore the fundamental purpose and mission of cultural and heritage centers and museums. At their core, these institutions are grounded in three essential elements: tangible objects, authentic stories and experiences, and meaningful social interaction—all in service of learning.

These principles reflect an important shift captured by Stephen E. Weil’s assertion that museums are “not about something, but for someone,” emphasizing the critical role of public service in shaping institutional priorities.

This talk will share examples, practical frameworks, and guiding philosophies, enabling participants to leave with a deeper understanding of who they serve, why their institutions truly matter within their communities, and how to approach their work with renewed clarity and purpose.

WORKSHOP

The keynote presentation serves as the launch for a follow-up workshop that attendees can choose to attend. The keynote will introduce key ideas, the workshop will provide an opportunity to put many of these concepts into practice. In the meantime, we invite you to carry these considerations into your own work and institutional contexts.