Migration Network

The Migration Network is a dynamic, knowledge-sharing initiative uniting museums, heritage organisations, charities, academics, and other professionals across the UK and beyond.

Convened by the Migration Museum, the Network provides a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and the exchange of best practices in exploring migration and its impact on society.

Our plans are coming together for 2026 online and in-person events and we would love you to be join us. Sign up to our Network mailing list via the link below to be kept in the loop.

Why a Migration Network:

The Migration Network exists to:

  • Connect individuals and institutions working on migration themes.
  • Inspire confidence in curating and presenting migration stories.
  • Highlight underrepresented narratives across collections and communities.
  • Support learning and professional development through events, training, and resource-sharing.

Why Join the Network:

Migration is a defining element of the UK’s history, shaping communities, industries, and cultural identities. Many museums and heritage organisations hold migration-related collections, but may lack the confidence, resources, or knowledge to engage with these narratives effectively. 

The Migration Network helps bridge this gap by offering training, collaboration opportunities, and a supportive community.

Our Events

The Migration Network has been hosting events since 2017, bringing together hundreds of attendees from across the UK and beyond. These gatherings—both online and in person—offer case studies, panels, discussion groups and networking sessions to facilitate connections and learning.

Want to be part of future events? Fill in the form below and click ‘Subscribe’ to sign up to the Migration Network email newsletter mailing list:

Sign up to the Migration Network mailing list

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Past Event Highlights:

Our 2025 events give a flavour of the network and the kinds of themes and audiences we cover. Please contact us for further details on any of these events.

  • September 2025: Centring Migration: A Day of Dialogue on Future Museum Collecting Practices, day-long event co-organised with National Museums Liverpool exploring how museums can collaboratively bring diverse stories into their collections through presentations, workshops, and behind-the-scenes tours. 
  • July 2025: Engaging with Migration in Museum Learning: Tools, Case Studies & Conversation co-organised with GEM-the Group of Education in Museums. The event featured case studies from the GLAM sector that have tackled complex conversations around identity, migration, and the legacies of empire through their education and engagement work.
  • May 2025: Digital Journeys: Preserving and Sharing Migration Collections showcased examples of innovative digital collections work within museums and archives.
  • March 2025: Working Equitably with Refugees and Asylum Seekers, an event in collaboration with Counterpoints Arts exploring how to welcome and engage with communities in museum and heritage spaces. 

Impact and Insights

Our in-depth Evaluation Report (2020–2022) highlights the transformative effect of the Migration Network through the seven regionally-focused events between 2020-2022. The report highlighted how the network increases confidence in discussing migration topics and curating exhibitions, influences institutional policies and working practices and addresses funding constraints.

Get Involved and shape the Network

Whether you’re an individual practitioner or an organization interested in migration narratives, the Migration Network welcomes you!

📧 Stay updated – Join our mailing list
🤝 Collaborate with us – Contact us at network@migrationmuseum.org
📚 Explore our work – Read our full Evaluation Report 2022

Together, we can reshape how migration stories are told, ensuring they reflect the diverse and interconnected history of the UK and its people.

Thank you to our Partners

–   COMPAS (The University of Oxford’s Centre on Migration, Policy and Society)
–   John Ellerman Foundation
–   Paul Hamlyn Foundation
–   Counterpoints Arts
–   Horniman Museum and Gardens
–   Museums Association
–   National Museums Liverpool
–   National Trust
–   Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums

Thank you to our Funders

The Network is funded by the John Ellerman Foundation and the National Lottery Heritage Fund – thanks to National Lottery players.


Photos in carousel by: Everything’s Fine Photography, Elzbieta Piekacz and the Migration Museum