Future-Oriented Museums
FORMS brings together the leaders of future-oriented museums, cultural centers, and cultural arts initiatives.
The conversations at FORMS 2026 may influence the future direction of these museums, but
this meeting is not focused on future-proofing our institutions.
FORMS 2026 is for leaders ready to explore why and how their organizations can shift cultural attention toward the future.
Attendance at FORMS 2026 MIT is capped at 50.
Registered attendees so far include the CEOs of future-oriented museums on 5 continents.
FORMS 2026 will take place in and around MIT campus following the inaugural MIT Future Fest.
Transportation is provided for an all-day excursion on the final day.
Most meals are included, and registration is set on a sliding scale from $500 to Free.
This is a friendly gathering of peers, but is also necessarily exclusive.
Join the meeting with a two-step process:
Apply to attend as soon as possible.
If your application is successful, use the link sent to you to confirm your registration.
The original registration deadline was 31 July, 2026.
Some openings remain, but we expect to hit the attendance cap.
The conversations at FORMS 2026 may influence the future direction of these museums, but
this meeting is not focused on future-proofing our institutions.
FORMS 2026 is for leaders ready to explore why and how their organizations can shift cultural attention toward the future.
Attendance at FORMS 2026 MIT is capped at 50.
Registered attendees so far include the CEOs of future-oriented museums on 5 continents.
FORMS 2026 will take place in and around MIT campus following the inaugural MIT Future Fest.
Transportation is provided for an all-day excursion on the final day.
Most meals are included, and registration is set on a sliding scale from $500 to Free.
This is a friendly gathering of peers, but is also necessarily exclusive.
Join the meeting with a two-step process:
Apply to attend as soon as possible.
If your application is successful, use the link sent to you to confirm your registration.
The original registration deadline was 31 July, 2026.
Some openings remain, but we expect to hit the attendance cap.
2026 Program Overview
FORMS convenings balance structured experiences with time together for open conversation and connection. They are fully participatory and a rare retreat for senior cultural leaders.
It is expected that all attendees will participate in the full three-day program.
Extend your stay!
Attend the inaugural MIT Future Fest from 30 September - 4 October.
FORMS attendees recieve a promo code for free MIT Future Fest passes.
- Sunday, 4 October: Welcome!
18:00 - 21:00 Opening Reception
Enjoy dinner, drinks, and connect with friends old and new while overlooking the Charles River.
- Monday, 5 October: Museums and the Future
9:00 - 13:30 Getting Future-Oriented Together
Explore the potential of futures thinking with peers from around the world, and with the help of acclaimed futurist Stuart Candy. (Breakfast and lunch provided)
13:30 - 17:30 The Future at the Museum
Experience the MIT Museum through a futures lens, including new exhibits Sensing Oceans and the Crochet Coral Reef.
Followed by a workshop connecting the conversations from the morning
with the experiences of the afternoon.
18:30 - 21:00 Group dinner (Location TBA).
- Tuesday, 6 October: MIT and Urban Futures
9:00 - 11:00 Media Lab Meetings
Meet with several labs working to make the futures they envision reality.
Could one of these labs become your next collaborator?
11:00 - 15:00 Finding Futures at MIT
Spread out on foot in small groups to discover the future on MIT's quirky campus.
Break for lunch in MIT's brand new design hub, the MET Warehouse,
and see how futures thinking is playing out in urban centers around the world with the
Senseable City Lab.
15:00 - 17:00 Futures Thinking and Problem Solving
Take on some of the most pressing issues facing the future of the world's urban areas in a workshop planned with the Media Lab's City Science Group.
17:45 - 20:45 Dinner Cruise on the River
Glide up the Charles River into the sunset before taking in the slow fall twilight in Boston Harbor.
- Wednesday, 7 October: The Woods, the Water, and the Long Now
9:00 - 10:30 Bus departs from MIT Museum
Head North along a scenic highway into the New England autumn to
the home of a co-founder of the Long Now Foundation.
10:30 - 12:30 Self-made Sessions
Arrive in New Hampshire to a welcome from our gracious hosts,
then organize small-group sessions to discuss long-term futures.
12:30 - 13:30 Lunch
13:30 - 17:00 Woods and Water
Slow down to appreciate the Now along paths that wind among colorful trees and calming waters.
17:00 - 18:30 Bus to MIT
Head back during sunset, returning to the MIT Museum no later than 6:30pm.
