The 2017 Conference welcomed 128 attendees from 79 Affiliates in 35 states, plus Puerto Rico and Panama. We focused on the impact of storytelling throughout an organization. From digital diversity to membership, and from STEAM programs to the Power of Playfulness, Affiliates and the Smithsonian demonstrated the two-way-street of reaching local communities through the strategy of telling an impactful story. 38 Speakers covered topics such as co-branding an affiliation; international coalition of sites of conscience; social media diversity; experiential science learning; strategic sustainability; and loan procedures. Three hands-on workshops gave Affiliates insight into 3D scanning, the Smithsonian Learning Lab, and the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative.
