Our Project History
Program Story
Launched in 2024 at the invitation of the U.S. State Department’s Cultural Heritage Center, the Asia Pacific Museum Exchange (APME) aimed to support museum and heritage professionals in developing and sharing best practices for the stewardship of sites, collections, and traditions central to the cultural identities of the peoples and societies of the Asia-Pacific region. This pilot program was the first of its kind and was open to mid-career professionals working in small to medium-sized museums and cultural centers in Island Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.
Officially convened in the spring of 2025, the two-year program covered a wide array of topics, including research on indigenous knowledge-informed conservation practices, documentation approaches, digital tools for engagement, and collections management. Over the course of two years, APME provided space for discussion, engagement, and exchange through a virtual webinar series and an in-person workshop, the Face2Face (F2F) Workshop, held in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, in July 2025. The program selected and convened a group of 28 museum professionals for the webinar series, from which thirteen fellows were invited to attend the F2F Workshop.
Program Timeline
Steering Committee meeting at UHM
Received Grant
The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) received a $429,872 grant from the U.S. Department of State's Cultural Heritage Center to fund the APME program.
Application Window Opened
The official application window opened for mid-career museum and heritage professionals across Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.
Application closed.
Announced virtual workshop for 33 online applicants.
Program Kicked Off
The first of ten monthly virtual workshops, led by the National Park Service’s Museum Management Program, has begun.
Webinar 1
Welcome and Introductions
Face-to-Face program participants selected and notified.
Webinar 2
Museum Collections Policy & Accessioning
Face-to-Face program participants selected and notified.
Webinar 3
Cataloging & Inventory
Contacted respective consulates and embassies for upcoming visa applications.
Webinar 4
Making Collections Accessible Online
Concerted effort to assist applicants with visa interviews and arrange travel itinerary.
Face-to-Face program participants selected and notified.
Inaugural Workshop
The inaugural "Face2Face Workshop" brought 13 participants to Honolulu for 16 days of hands-on training in curation, digital archives, and preservation.
Webinar 5
Museum Risk Management: Emergency Planning, Security & Fire Protection
Webinar 6
Museum Environment, Integrated Pest Management, & Museum Housekeeping
Webinar 7
Risk Management Workshop Slide Uploads
Webinar 8
Deaccessioning & Loans
Webinar 9
Museum Storage, Handling and Packing
Webinar 10
Introduction to Exhibits
Webinar 11
Online Storytelling, Digitizing Pacific Cultural Heritage & ArcGIS StoryMaps
Webinar 12
Deaccessioning & Loans
Webinar 13
Museum Storage, Handling and Packing
Webinar 14
ArcGIS StoryMaps Final Check-in
Online Exhibit Preview Reception
Online Exhibit & Website Opens